Abel Tablada, an architect and full professor at the Technological University of Havana (CUJAE), has been removed from his teaching duties due to his political opinions, as reported on social media. Students and colleagues have protested the decision, praising his professional brilliance. Recently, professor Roberto Viñas was also expelled from the Higher Institute of Art (ISA) for similar reasons.
The news of Abel Tablada's removal from CUJAE spread through social media, prompting protests from students, colleagues, and readers of his writings. Tablada is regarded as a brilliant and decent professional who critiques aspects of Cuban society in his texts. This incident fits into a long history of dismissals and expulsions in Cuban universities due to dogmatism, dating back decades, for reasons including religious beliefs, non-heteronormative sexual preferences, or political disagreements.
Recently, playwright and professor Roberto Viñas was expelled from the ISA for his political opinions. The article's author, Darío Alejandro Escobar from Joven Cuba, questions whether these cases signal a return to a more repressive phase in the nation's civil liberties. Escobar recounts his own experiences: nearly expelled from university while studying Journalism, and removed from magazines like Somos Jóvenes and El Caimán Barbudo on orders from political bodies.
Despite support from students and the Federation of University Students (FEU), who demand Tablada's reinstatement, Escobar stresses the need for unity, tolerance, and dialogue in Cuba amid its current crisis. He argues that expelling critical intellectuals harms the country, as Cuba requires a plurality of honest voices to prosper. The piece ends by hoping the institutions reverse these decisions or that the affected individuals continue contributing outside the classroom.
