Three out of four Cubans involved in the murder of a security guard at the Mayarí Forestry Industrial Economic Unit have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Provincial Court of Holguín. The fourth individual received a 30-year prison sentence.
A report from the National Television News (NTV) identified the victim as 49-year-old Orlando Pérez Ardevel. The incident occurred in the Entronque Ocujal area, approximately 25 kilometers from Mayarí, when the suspects attempted to steal batteries from several state-owned vehicles, and the security guard caught them in the act.
The official report, which did not specify the exact date of the murder, boasted about the swift identification and capture of the perpetrators within 48 hours, thanks to the "unconditional support of the people and the meticulous work of the Ministry of the Interior." The media coverage praised the police efforts and investigative techniques employed, such as canine tracking that led to the discovery of an animal-drawn vehicle used in the crime. Additional forensic methods, including olfactory, chemical, and biological traces, were crucial to the investigation, the state-run source emphasized.
High Social Impact of the Crime
Mildrey Rodríguez Aguilera, the prosecutor in the case, highlighted the significant social impact of the crime, justifying the demand for the harshest penalties allowed under the Penal Code.
A relative of the victim expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the case. "My family and I are very grateful for the support from the community and the police," said Osnel Ortiz Pérez, the victim's nephew, on camera.
Death Penalty in Cuba: A Controversial Topic
Although a growing number of Cubans have been calling for the death penalty for egregious murders, the death penalty in Cuba has not been enforced since 2003. Despite its presence in the legal framework, the Cuban government has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since the controversial execution of three young men accused of hijacking a vessel in 2003.
Since then, death sentences in Cuba have been commuted to prison terms, including life sentences, and no executions have been carried out. However, the moratorium has not been officially turned into an abolition, so the death penalty remains a legal possibility.
Notably, the new Penal Code approved in 2022 increased the number of crimes punishable by death to 24. Most of these offenses are politically charged, involving various forms of terrorism and crimes related to state security.