Cuban feminist activists demanded on Monday that the police and the prosecutor's office reactivate the search for Beysi Moraima Pedroso Ramírez, a young woman who disappeared in Havana in May 2017.
Pedroso, who was 21 at the time, was last seen on May 30 of that year at 10 PM on Pedro Nuevo Street between 5th and 6th in Mantilla, Arroyo Naranjo, just two blocks from her home, according to the platform YoSíTeCreo in Cuba (YSTCC), which issued the Yeniset Alert to locate her following a recent report by the independent media outlet Diario de Cuba.
"The young woman is of medium height, with dark skin, black hair, and dark brown eyes. She can be identified by a scar on her chin," the note described. "She was wearing white clothing—a white t-shirt and white leggings—along with black sandals and a brown handbag, heading to connect to the WIFI park. She suffers from asthma."
On May 31—a day after leaving home—Pedroso "made a brief phone call to her family, which was cut off before she could say where she was," the publication added.
The family of the young woman "filed the appropriate report with the police at the time and took the case to several authorities," including the Capri PNR unit, the Territorial Unit of Criminal Investigation and Instruction in Acosta, the Plaza de la Revolución, Citizen Services of the Ministry of the Interior, and the unit at 100 y Aldabó, detailed YSTCC.
Additionally, they searched for the girl in hospitals, churches, rehabilitation centers, psychological and psychiatric centers, bus terminals, and airports, among other locations.
YoSíTeCreo in Cuba demands that "the police and prosecutor's office resume the case with the appropriate investigations and keep the family informed and updated about the process, besides complying with existing international protocols for disappearances."
They also requested that anyone with information about Pedroso's whereabouts contact her mother, Moraima Ramírez, at phone numbers 53850171 and 76942851.
Pedroso's case was made public by Diario de Cuba weeks after she was reported missing.
The young woman's mother and grandmother expressed their desperation to the newspaper, saying they had no idea where she was or how she was doing, and they also voiced their frustration over how the police handled the case. The officers claimed there were no missing persons in Cuba and treated the case as someone "absent from their home."
When Ramírez filed the initial report, a police instructor told her, "You all are watching too many soap operas," while listening to music.
The family continued to reach out to other official channels to keep reporting and posted flyers with her photos around the city, hoping to find her.
Over the past seven years, Ramírez has actively searched for her daughter, even going to the Plaza de la Revolución with a photo of her. "Three patrol officers surrounded me immediately. I told them I wouldn't move until they told me what happened to my daughter," she recounted to Diario de Cuba.
From there, they took her to a MININT Citizen Services office, where they informed her that they were working on her daughter's case and tried to convince her not to take any more public actions.
However, the authorities "have not found a single clue related to Beysi's disappearance," Ramírez emphasized.
"At one point, they told me they were sorry, that they had done everything possible, that they had found 'all sorts of things,' but they couldn't find my daughter. It devastated me. Her father, her grandmother, her siblings, and I are all psychologically affected," the woman lamented.
Key Questions on the Disappearance of Beysi Moraima Pedroso Ramírez
As the search for Beysi Moraima Pedroso Ramírez continues, here are some critical questions and answers that shed light on the situation.
What were the circumstances surrounding Beysi Moraima Pedroso Ramírez's disappearance?
Beysi was last seen on May 30, 2017, at 10 PM, two blocks from her home in Mantilla, Arroyo Naranjo, Havana. She was heading to connect to the WIFI park and suffers from asthma.
What actions have the authorities taken since her disappearance?
The family reported the case to several authorities and searched various locations. Despite these efforts, the authorities have not found any clues related to her disappearance.
How has the family been coping with Beysi's disappearance?
The family has been psychologically affected and has actively continued the search, including public actions such as posting flyers and seeking media attention.