Manuel Vázquez Portal (born 1951 in Morón, Ciego de Ávila province, Cuba) is a Cuban poet, writer and journalist known for his 2003 imprisonment.
[1] Prior to his imprisonment, he worked a variety of jobs, including teaching high school, reporting for state-owned media, and advising at the Ministry of Culture.
[2] During his tenure with government media, Vázquez Portal received three official prizes, but in 1995, he was expelled by the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) for expressing dissident opinions.
[4] In March 2003, the Cuban government launched a general crackdown (later called the "Black Spring") on dissidents, including a number of journalists.
[1] Vázquez Portal's imprisonment was condemned by several human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which designated him a prisoner of conscience,[5] and Reporters Without Borders.