On January 18, we received information about political prisoner Leoncio Rodríguez Ponce, who is in critical condition in the Holguín provincial prison, without receiving adequate medical attention. According to information confirmed by Cubalex, Rodríguez Ponce was unconscious for several days due to high blood pressure and extremely high blood glucose levels.
His blood glucose levels were not checked in prison. It was another inmate in his cellblock, who had a glucose meter, who detected his high blood sugar. These extreme conditions caused him to lose his vision, faint, and become extremely weak. In the infirmary, he was only given an injection, the effectiveness of which he questions, as he showed no improvement.
The lack of essential medications in prison further aggravates his situation. The prison lacks insulin and other basic treatments to manage his ailments. His life, and the lives of other inmates, are at serious risk. It was thanks to the support of other prisoners, who provided him with insulin and captopril, that he was able to temporarily control his blood pressure and glucose levels. However, his condition remains critical.
Rodríguez Ponce is one of Cuba's long-standing political prisoners. To date, none of these individuals have been included in the recent release process announced by the regime on January 15.