A young man from Guantánamo, named Eldernay Michel Mengana, is facing a prosecutor's request for eight years in prison after allegedly finding 50 pounds of sugar while working a bicitaxi. His sister, Irisnay Goulet, denounced this situation on Facebook, accusing the Municipal Court of Guantánamo and the Prosecutor's Office of committing a grave injustice regarding an incident that occurred on May 22, 2023.
According to Goulet, Mengana was working his bicitaxi when he came across a bag containing 50 pounds of sugar on a street corner in the city. "He did what any citizen would do given the situation in the province of Guantánamo; he took it," she remarked. However, just two blocks away, the Police and the Special Brigade of Guantánamo intercepted him without asking for identification or explanation, assaulted him, and conducted a search of his house the following morning.
Goulet claims that the search yielded no evidence to support the accusation of "robbery with force from a store" that the prosecution had levied against Mengana. On April 16, 2024, Mengana received the prosecutor's request for an eight-year prison sentence, and on June 4, he was taken to trial, where the same sentence was upheld. During the trial, the prosecutor, the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), and the store's administrator all pointed fingers at Mengana, Goulet detailed.
The defendant's lawyer argued that Mengana should be punished with "one year without imprisonment since he has already spent 13 months in detention." The trial concluded, and the verdict is pending. In her post, Goulet questions why her brother remains imprisoned if there is no evidence against him. Despite the rise in robberies with force and the overall climate of violence in Cuba, citizens continue to question the actions of the police, arbitrary trials, and so-called exemplary judgments.
Questions and Concerns About Eldernay Michel Mengana's Case
This section addresses some of the main questions and concerns surrounding the controversial case of Eldernay Michel Mengana and the broader issues of justice in Cuba.
Why is Eldernay Michel Mengana facing eight years in prison?
Mengana is facing a prosecutor's request for eight years in prison after allegedly finding 50 pounds of sugar, which led to accusations of "robbery with force from a store."
What evidence was found during the search of Mengana's house?
According to his sister, Irisnay Goulet, the search conducted by the police yielded no evidence to support the accusations against Mengana.
What actions have the family taken to defend Mengana?
Mengana's lawyer has requested a sentence of "one year without imprisonment" and his sister has publicly denounced the situation on social media, questioning the lack of evidence and the fairness of the trial.
How are citizens in Cuba reacting to this case?
Many Cubans continue to question the actions of the police, the conduct of arbitrary trials, and the practice of exemplary judgments, especially in light of rising violence and theft in the country.