The bereaved mother of Nesky Gabriel Escalona Ortiz, a young Cuban who disappeared while serving in the military and was found dead six days later, directly challenged military officials at his funeral. A video shared on Facebook by the user La Tijera captures the moment during the burial when military personnel stood under the shade of trees, distanced from the grieving family.
"Get lost, all of you. I handed him over alive, and look how you return my son, all in the name of defending the revolution," cried the anguished mother. "My son was sick, and they didn't take him to a hospital, not once. I told them, but none of them did anything," she shouted after the casket had been laid down.
Heartbreaking Testimonies from the Family
The father of the deceased also spoke out, highlighting the dire conditions recruits face during their service. "They mistreat them, on guard 24 hours a day with no food, with an AKM they can't even crouch or sit with, and for what? The uniform is supposed to defend the country, not to abuse young people. This country is a mess, these communist bastards," he said, tears streaming down his face.
Nesky Gabriel, only 19, was from the Habana del Este municipality and was fulfilling his military service in Santa Cruz del Norte, Mayabeque. His body was discovered hanging near his unit, already in a state of decomposition.
Allegations of Foul Play
The Facebook profile La Tijera claims the parents hold the military leaders and officers responsible for his death, as he had reported abuse suffered by himself and other unwilling recruits. Mairelis Guerra Escalona, Nesky's cousin, revealed on Facebook that evidence suggests he did not commit suicide but was murdered.
"He was hanged near the unit where he was assigned guard duty," she stated, adding that "he was on duty at the unit, and the next day he vanished; six days later, they found him dead, decomposed."
In another post, Mairelis described how the body was discovered, almost destroyed by scavenging birds. "This is how the Castro regime operates, forcing young men into compulsory service only to later kill and disappear them. Down with Díaz-Canel, down with the abuse of young people and Cuban prisoners," she declared.