Cuban Pastor Arrested for Reading the Bible in a Park After Uploading YouTube Lesson
Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora was dragged away by Cuban police moments after uploading a Bible teaching video to YouTube in a public park.
Cuban Pastor Dragged Away by Police Moments After Uploading Bible Teaching to YouTube
Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora was arrested on March 15, 2026, in a public park in Peñas Altas, Matanzas, Cuba, just moments after uploading a Bible teaching video to his YouTube channel, "Pregonero de Cristo" (Christ's Herald).
The park was one of only two locations in the area with access to public Wi Fi, making it the only place the pastor could share his weekly scripture lessons with his online congregation.
Video footage captured by his wife, Gelayne Rodríguez Ávila, shows two police officers forcibly pushing Pérez Lora toward a patrol vehicle. In the recording, the pastor can be heard protesting his treatment.
You're mistreating me for no reason; I haven't done anything wrong; this man is mistreating me.
His wife can also be heard on the video explaining what happened.
We were making a video in the park, and they are taking Pastor Rolando away because he uploaded a video reading the Bible to his YouTube channel.
The video went viral, receiving more than 300,000 views on Facebook within 24 hours of being posted.
Authorities transported the pastor to the Playa Police Station in Matanzas, where he was held for approximately three hours before being released. Pérez Lora later revealed that government harassment of his ministry has been ongoing for years.
In the East we were always persecuted. State Security summoned me many times, sending patrols to my house. The authorities looked badly upon this work.
The arrest occurred amid widespread civil unrest across Cuba, with citizens protesting prolonged blackouts and severe shortages of food and medicine. The day before, rioters had set fire to Communist Party offices in Morón.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) condemned the arrest. Anna Lee Stangl, the organization's director of advocacy, stated that the pastor "never should have been detained in the first place" and called on Cuban authorities to cease all harassment of religious leaders.
Cuba Cracks Down on Christian Ministry as Civil Unrest Spreads Across the Island
Cuban law requires all churches and religious organizations to register with the government to operate legally. Unregistered religious groups routinely face surveillance, harassment, and severe restrictions on worship and public assembly.
Just one day after Pérez Lora's arrest, another pastor, Elier Muir Ávila, who leads the Tiempo de Cosecha Independent Church, was also detained along with his 16 year old son Jonathan in the city of Morón. While the pastor was released hours later, his son remains in detention over alleged involvement in protests.
The Crusader's Opinion
A man reads his Bible out loud in a park and gets dragged into a police car for it. That's Cuba in 2026. The Communist regime is so terrified of the Gospel that they treat a YouTube upload like an act of war. Let's be absolutely clear about what this is: spiritual tyranny. They don't arrest people for spreading Marxist propaganda in parks. They don't drag away regime loyalists for posting online. They do it to a pastor reading Scripture. The Cuban government fears a man with a Bible more than it fears the rioters burning down their party offices. That should tell you everything about where real power lies. Every Christian denomination on earth should be united in condemning this evil. Silence is complicity.
Take Action
- Pray specifically for Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora, his wife Gelayne, and all persecuted pastors across Cuba facing ongoing government harassment.
- Support Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) who are actively advocating for religious freedom in Cuba and documented this arrest.
- Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to help provide resources and support for persecuted Christians worldwide.
- Contact the Cuban Embassy in your country and demand the release of 16 year old Jonathan Muir Burgos, who remains detained. The Cuban Embassy in Washington can be reached through the Swiss Embassy at (202) 797 8518.
- Subscribe to Pastor Pérez Lora's YouTube channel "Pregonero de Cristo" to amplify his ministry and show the Cuban government that silencing Christians only makes their voices louder.
- Support Open Doors USA and Voice of the Martyrs who advocate for persecuted believers in Cuba and globally.
