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The young Yiliannis Bueno Espinosa, 29 years old and mother of two young girls, was killed by her ex-partner this Wednesday in the town of El Sur, in the Tercer Frente municipality of Santiago de Cuba, according to sources close to the victim.
The femicide of Bueno was reported by her uncle, Liuvan Lozada Carbonell, who revealed that the perpetrator of the crime, known by the nickname Lali, killed his niece with a machete before fleeing the scene.
"A machete murder of this young person, full of life, and with two little girls who are now orphans because of a cowardly, sick killer," he denounced in a Facebook post.
"To the perpetrator of the cold-blooded murder of my niece in a Third Front locality in the South today, may the full weight of the law be upon him as he has fled. Anyone who knows anything about this case or his whereabouts should urgently call the police," he requested.
Lozada clarified that the man was not the victim's husband; "he was a mentally ill man who was obsessed, in love with her, who ultimately ended her life," and called for stricter laws to more severely punish femicide perpetrators.
Santiago communicator Yosmany Mayeta revealed details on his profile about the brutal attack that cut short the life of the young mother.
According to information provided by a source, Bueno had taken her daughters to school and, on her way back, was caught by the attacker, who stabbed her in the chest and, when she tried to escape, began to strangle her.
According to this version of events, the young woman died while being transported to the local clinic due to the severity of the wound that the man inflicted on her heart.
The communicator stated that the killer has been apprehended by the authorities.
The Gender Observatory of the magazine Alas Tensas (OGAT) confirmed this Thursday the femicide of Bueno and another woman in the province of Holguín, bringing the total to 53 crimes related to gender-based violence in Cuba during 2024, according to underreporting tracked by independent Cuban platforms.
In 2023, OGAT and the YoSíTeCreo platform’s observatory in Cuba confirmed a total of 89 feminicides in the country. However, according to partial statistics published by the Cuban government, up to October of that year, 117 feminicides were recorded, although the regime did not use that term to refer to the killings.
The count by Cuban authorities exceeds the number of violent deaths of women reported by independent feminist organizations in the country, which are focused on women's care and the protection of their rights.
In the Cuban Penal Code, femicide is not classified as a crime, and the terms "femicide" or "machista crime" are not used.
Last August, the regime revealed that in 2023, 110 cases of murders of women aged 15 and older for gender-related reasons were tried in courts, according to data from the Cuban Gender Equality Observatory.
A total of 378 cases of sexual violence were also judged, and an unspecified number of women were left with injuries following attacks by their ex-partners.
The official Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) acknowledged that more than 16,000 women and girls from 9,579 families are living in situations of violence in the country.
Earlier this year, the government established a national system for registering, addressing, tracking, and monitoring incidents of gender-based violence within the family context.
Frequently Asked Questions about Femicide in Cuba
How many femicides have been recorded in Cuba in 2024?
In 2024, there have been 53 femicides recorded in Cuba, according to underreporting from independent platforms such as the Gender Observatory of the magazine Alas Tensas and YoSíTeCreo en Cuba. These figures reflect an alarming reality of gender-based violence in the country.
What measures are being taken in Cuba to combat gender-based violence?
Despite the rise in femicides, the Cuban government has not classified femicide as a crime in the Penal Code. However, a national system for registering, addressing, tracking, and monitoring gender-based violence in the family sphere has been established, although its effectiveness continues to be questioned by feminist organizations and activists.
What happened with the killer of Yiliannis Bueno Espinosa in Santiago de Cuba?
The killer of Yiliannis Bueno Espinosa was captured by authorities after fleeing the scene of the crime. This case has been one of the most recent and brutal femicides reported in Cuba, highlighting the urgent need for stricter measures to prevent such acts of violence.
What are the criticisms of the government's handling of femicide in Cuba?
The main criticisms focus on the lack of official recognition of the term "femicide" and the insufficiency of concrete actions to protect women. Feminist organizations and civil society have pointed out that authorities do not respond effectively to early alerts regarding disappearances and threats, which could prevent many of these tragedies.
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