A Cuban prisoner named Inoel Rodríguez Rodríguez allegedly died after being brutally beaten in Ariza prison, located in Cienfuegos, as reported by his family. According to their account, the 27-year-old, who suffered from schizophrenia, was returned to them in a coffin. Upon noticing a black eye, they decided to examine his body further. "They opened the coffin and took photographs of his injuries as evidence of the torture he endured. Reports suggest that the order came from Maikel Medinas Terry, and he was assaulted by seven guards, including those identified as El Diablo, Chávez, El Bala, Leducar, Samaná, and Ismael," the family stated in their complaint.
The victim's body showed extensive bruising on his legs, head, face, arms, and back, as visible in a video shared by the family. Inoel, who was mentally ill, reportedly shouted "Patria y Vida, Díaz-Canel singao, Raúl Castro asesino" before being violently attacked. Prison officials, led by Director Lisandro Arguelles Fonseca, told the family that the young man had committed suicide.
Political Outcry and Calls for Justice
Cuban-American Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart condemned the incident as "horrific" and demanded accountability for the perpetrators. "There must be a reinstatement of stringent sanctions against the regime that abuses, imprisons, and seeks to silence those who dare to speak out against it. The days of appeasement that emboldened our adversaries under the Biden-Harris Administration are numbered," he asserted.
"We are on the verge of a new phase that will end this Administration's policy of concessions," the congressman emphasized, alluding to Donald Trump's presidential victory and the appointment of fellow Cuban-American Marco Rubio as the new Secretary of State.
Human Rights Concerns in Cuba
In July, the non-governmental organization Cubalex, which monitors human rights in Cuba and provides free legal assistance on the island, documented 56 deaths over the past two years among individuals in state custody. Violence remains the leading cause of death in these instances.