Fernando ALMENARES RIVERA (known as Nando OBCD)

Rapper Fernando Almenares Rivera (known as Nando OBCD) was detained on 31 December 2024 by two plain clothes police officials, reportedly without summons or judicial hearing, on ’suspicion’ that he had committed ‘acts of terrorism against the state’. He was initially taken to the seventh Police Unit of La Lisa.  

This latest detention of Nando OBDC is part of the sustained harassment he has suffered due to his involvement in the independent art and activist movements. His involvement in projects such as ‘Arte Prohibido’ and collaborations with other critical artists, such as the Al2 El Aldeano, El Sexto, Maykel Osorbo, and others, have been met with escalating repression from authorities. 

Update: At the end of February 2025, Nando OBCD was held in poor detention conditions at the Combinado del Este maximum security prison, accused of sabotage, and for allegedly participating in a fire in a park. However, his family members report that he had recently criticised the pollution and escalating usage of a synthetic cannabinoid know as ‘el químico’ in his neighbourhood of San Agustín in Havana. 

Nando OBDC (born 1 April 1990) has been collaborating since 2020 with various cultural projects, including  the Exprésate campaign; Fire Against Fire, the Forbidden Art exhibition, and the album Free by Right. Nando OBDC shared in interviews that he has been detained on numerous occasions, and received threats, and even beatings from authorities in response to his artistic and activism activities.