This Monday, new details were revealed regarding the death of Nesky Gabriel Escalona Ortiz, a 19-year-old who was found hanged in a unit of the Cuban Armed Forces while serving in Mandatory Military Service.
The information was published by Martí Noticias, which obtained it from a source close to the matter on the condition of anonymity.
The source reported that Escalona Ortiz had expressed his discontent to the wife of his older brother, with whom he maintained a good relationship. According to this individual, the young man had mentioned his discomfort at the Tank Unit in La Sierra, in the municipality of Santa Cruz del Norte, in the province of Mayabeque.
The teenager had communicated something unusual to him, although he preferred not to discuss it over the phone and said he would do so in person. This source confessed to Martí Noticias that the young man hinted at the possibility of being a victim of some form of mistreatment within the military institution.
One of the first people to alert the superiors of the unit about Escalona Ortiz's situation was his mother, Yudenia Ortiz. "In recent weeks, he had clearly been depressed, no longer wanting to stay in the unit and repeatedly asking his mother to take him out, even hinting that he would have to do something drastic if he remained there," the source revealed.
However, the warnings went unheeded by the officials, who responded with indifference. “The mother showed these messages to the officers, but they reacted without giving them the due importance,” the source commented.
Additionally, physical changes began to manifest in Escalona Ortiz that caused concern: he had swelling in the front of his neck, attributed to stress. His mother also reported on this condition, without the young man receiving the necessary medical attention.
During the funeral, Escalona Ortiz's mother confronted the officials. In a video shared on Facebook, the military can be seen keeping their distance, under the shade of some trees, away from the family.
"Get lost, everyone! I handed over my son alive, and look at him now, for defending the revolution," the mother expressed with anguish.
"My son was sick and they didn't take him to any hospital. I told them, and they still didn’t take him to any hospital," shouted the mother, visibly distressed, after the coffin was placed.
The young man's father, Franklin Escalona, also expressed his frustration, noting that the recruits in the Military Service only think about lunchtime because of the hunger they endure.
"They mistreat them, keep them on guard for 24 hours without food or rest, carrying an AKM without being able to bend down or sit, senselessly. What is the purpose of the green uniform? To defend the country, not to abuse the youth. This country is a disgrace, you communists...," she expressed through tears.
The young man was found six days after being reported missing, hanging near his unit, in an advanced state of decomposition.
Despite calls to abolish Mandatory Military Service in Cuba, the regime has recently intensified penalties for those who do not comply with this obligation, imposing hefty fines that also impact adult family members.
The Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba published, on Wednesday, October 9, Decree 103/2024, which details the sanctions and administrative violations for failing to fulfill military duties on the island.
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