As time passes, the anger among Cubans escalates regarding the "disappearance" of nine military recruits following explosions early Tuesday morning at an armament and ammunition warehouse in Rafael Freyre, Holguín. Although the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) did not clearly specify this in their official statement, many internet users on social media point out that the missing soldiers are young men fulfilling their mandatory military service. This is the same service that a MINREX official claimed was not "compulsory" during a United Nations event in May 2022.
If it turns out that these nine missing "soldiers" are indeed recruits, it would mirror the tragic loss of young lives seen in the Matanzas Super Tanker Base fire in August 2022, where several young recruits, serving as firefighters, lost their lives. The missing individuals are identified as Leinier Jorge Sánchez Franco, Frank Antonio Hidalgo Almaguer, Liander José García Oliva, Yunior Hernández Rojas, Rayme Rojas Rojas, Carlos Alejandro Acosta Silva, Brian Lázaro Rojas Long, José Carlos Guerrero García, and Héctor Adrián Batista Zayas.
An internet user known as "Eduardo Chibás" expressed his frustration: “What should we do? Remain silent, as always? Accept it as just another human error? I have a son who could have been there, and so could you. These are kids forced into a duty that you, I, and they don’t accept; otherwise, they face prison. They are recruits, essentially prisoners, and they are just kids...”
Public Outcry Over Government and Media Response
Art historian Miryorly García also voiced her outrage, capturing the sentiment of many Cubans: “The indignation is overwhelming! I cannot stay silent in the face of this government and Cuban media’s lack of shame and humanity. […] It's psychopathic, so cold and indifferent, it’s terrifying. No one is safe, poor mothers who were ‘notified,’ how painful it is to know once again that our lives and our children's lives mean nothing to them,” she wrote on Facebook.
García criticized the official media’s handling of the incident, which focused mostly on ambiguous figures and names of the missing, while extensively covering Díaz-Canel’s recent trip to the Sierra Maestra, where he was even filmed dancing, “as if there was something to celebrate.”
Activist "Edmundo Dantés Junior" questioned, “Why aren’t all Holguín journalists in Rafael Freyre covering the explosion? Why was the news read by a presenter in a poorly written note as the final piece of the broadcast? The explosion was the most significant, impactful, and saddening event of the day,” he remarked, criticizing Díaz-Canel’s initial silence following the tragedy. Lawyer Manuel Viera shared his dismay, stating, “I’m done for today. The anger I feel is overwhelming. Kids keep dying because of stubbornness and absurdity. Kids the age of my son! The outdated Cold War weapons for an enemy that never came... now killing our children. I wish for a Cuba free of the military… a country I could live in.”
Calls for Change Amidst Tragedy
Activist Yamilka Laffita (Lara Crofs) criticized a post where a Cuban attempted to romanticize the tragedy. “The desperation to downplay and exalt unfounded values is nauseating. The homeland is not the futile, needless death of our youth. Trying to romanticize yesterday’s tragic event is absurd. ‘Homeland is humanity, the part of humanity we are closest to and where we were born; and it should not be allowed that with the deceit of the holy name, useless monarchies are defended,’” Laffita argued.
Journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada urged Cuban mothers not to send their sons to mandatory military service, saying, “Moments of terror were experienced by residents near the military unit that exploded in Holguín. Cuban mothers, do not send your sons to mandatory military service.”
The Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) of Cuba has declared a total of 13 individuals as "missing" following the explosions at the armament and ammunition warehouse in the Melones community, Rafael Freyre, Holguín. Among the missing, MINFAR identified two military officers with the rank of "Major," two "Second Sub-Officers," and nine "Soldiers." Besides the soldiers already mentioned, the missing include Major Leonar Palma Matos, Major Carlos Carreño del Río, Second Sub-Officer Orlebanis Tamé Torres, and Second Sub-Officer Yoennis Pérez Durán.
Many hours after the tragic event, Miguel Díaz-Canel and Manuel Marrero finally addressed the incident on social media; however, both had earlier expressed condolences to China for the earthquake victims in Tibet on platform X.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Holguín Warehouse Explosion
What caused the outrage among Cubans regarding the warehouse explosion in Holguín?
The outrage stems from the disappearance of nine young recruits fulfilling their military service obligations during the explosion, raising concerns about the mandatory nature of military service and the government's handling of the incident.
How has the Cuban government and media been criticized in relation to the Holguín explosion?
The government and media have been criticized for their lack of transparency and prioritizing other events over the explosion, with officials being slow to respond and media focusing on trivial matters rather than the tragedy.
Who are the individuals declared missing by MINFAR in the Holguín explosion?
MINFAR declared 13 individuals missing, including two military officers with the rank of "Major," two "Second Sub-Officers," and nine "Soldiers," all linked to the armament and ammunition warehouse explosion.