Plantados, the most stubborn political prisoners in Fidel Castro's jails, the ones who endured the harshest punishment. In 1961, the Cuban penal system introduced a progressive rehabilitation program. Those who participated willingly attended political education classes and performed manual labor. They were generally treated better, allowed more visits and released sooner. Those who stood on principle and refused were called Plantados - the immovable ones. The plantados rebelled against forced-labor, working as slow as possible. Some died from the beatings they were given. Later, when regular prisoners were given blue prison uniforms, the plantados were left with only their underwear. For many years Castro refused to free plantados who had once been his allies.
In the 1980s, a new group of prisoners say they have become the new plantados.
Notable Plantados
Mario Chanes de Armas, in 1991, after 30 years, he was the last Plantado to be released. He was originally among Castro's closest allies, participating in the attack on the Moncada barracks thus helping bring Castro to power. He turned against Castro early in the revolution.
Eusebio Peñalver Mazorra, the longest-held black Plantado in Castro's Cuba at 28 years. He was one of many who participated in the peasant-based Escambray resistance.
Armando Valladares, author of the book, Against All Hope: A Memoir of Life in Castro's Gulag, his autobiographical story as a plantado.