Artist Tania Bruguera was stopped and detained by Cuban authorities last week, while driving out of the capital Havana to provide aid for Hurricane Matthew victims in Baracoa, Hyperallergic reports. She was travelling with biochemist Oscar Casanella when their van was pulled over ‘due to an alleged technical or administrative problem’ in the rental agreement. According to information provided on a Facebook post by Instituto de Artivismo Hannah Arendt (an art and activism organisation co-founded by Bruguera and based in Havana), and by Brugeura’s sister, Casanella is said to have been physically attacked during their detainment while Brugeuera was reportedly interrogated for six hours by counterintelligence officers.
Her sister, Deborah Bruguera said: ‘I think this was ‘just’ a warning to let her know that the next time she enters Cuba and wants to perform a humanitarian or artistic action, she will have all the governmental weapons pointed against her.’ Over the last two years, Tania Bruguera has been arrested or detained multiple times in connection with public performances or protests.
16 January 2017
