A distressing incident of prison brutality has emerged in Cuba, where a 73-year-old inmate lost his life this weekend after being severely beaten by a guard at the Kilo 8 prison in Camagüey province. The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) brought this case to light, identifying the prisoner as Ulises Rodríguez Machado. According to their report, Rodríguez Machado succumbed to injuries inflicted by a prison officer named Daniel Primeyes.
Insider sources from the prison informed the OCDH that Rodríguez Machado was transported for medical care only when his condition had become critical. It remains unclear whether he was taken to the prison’s medical facility or to the Prisoner Ward at the Amalia Simoni Teaching Clinical-Surgical Hospital, noted for handling the most severe cases.
The prison's director, Juan Miguel Sánchez Duarte, allegedly attempted to conceal the incident along with the actual circumstances surrounding the death, as highlighted in the OCDH’s statement. They asserted that "this incident adds to a growing list of reports about abuse and violence within the Cuban penitentiary system, particularly at Kilo 8 prison, notorious for its inhumane conditions and mistreatment of inmates."
The statement also recalled that Officer Primeyes, accused of the assault leading to Rodríguez's death, has been previously reported for involvement in other violent incidents. The document mentioned a brutal attack on inmate Roberto Esquivel González, who was nearly killed when Primeyes and other prison guards from Kilo 7 used metal bars and batons against him.
"Actions by officers like Daniel Primeyes not only represent personal abuse but also highlight a pattern of institutional impunity and complicity, allowing such horrors to occur behind the walls of Cuban prisons. Victims and their families are crying out for justice, while there is a persistent call for the international community to address this violence and repression," stated the OCDH.
"There is no mercy for the prisoners, even if they are elderly. Last November, the OCDH reported the situation of older adults in the Cuban penitentiary system to the Inter-American Commission," emphasized the report.
Rodríguez Machado’s death is part of a troubling trend of inmate fatalities in Cuba under alarming circumstances. In December, reports surfaced regarding the alleged murder of Manuel de Jesús Guillén Esplugas, a member of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) and a Cuba Decide advocate, who was serving time at the Combinado del Este in Havana.
Human rights organizations have also highlighted deaths resulting from negligence, lack of medical care, physical deterioration, or malnutrition. These frequent deaths have sparked widespread criticism of the Cuban regime for the inhumane conditions in its prisons and the use of medical neglect as a tool of repression.
Understanding the Crisis in Cuban Prisons
What is the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights?
The Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) is an organization that monitors and reports on human rights abuses in Cuba, particularly focusing on cases involving violence and mistreatment within the country's prison system.
Why are Cuban prisons criticized for their conditions?
Cuban prisons are often criticized for their inhumane conditions, including overcrowding, lack of medical care, and the use of violence and neglect as methods of repression against prisoners.
Who was Ulises Rodríguez Machado?
Ulises Rodríguez Machado was a 73-year-old inmate at Kilo 8 prison in Camagüey, Cuba, who died after being severely beaten by a prison officer, as reported by the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights.