Shock in Santiago de Cuba: A security guard is murdered in El Cristo

The murder of the security guard at a cooperative located in the town of El Cristo, in Santiago de Cuba, early on Monday morning, has caused shock, grief, and outrage in the community, raising alarms over the third violent crime committed against a security guard in just over a month in the province.

Information about the tragic incident was made public on social media. In a Facebook post, the communicator Yosmany Mayeta stated that the motive for the homicide was the theft of some oxen.

The custodian was named Luis Mario Castillo, popularly known as "Luis, la pulla." He was approximately 54 years old and lived in the La Tordera neighborhood in El Cristo, sources close to the victim informed CiberCuba.

Castillo worked as a security guard at a cooperative belonging to the Ministry of Sugar (MINAZ), where he was stabbed and hanged. He was found dead around six in the morning by his colleagues, who confirmed this to our outlet.

Additionally, he had worked in the police force and as a messenger, delivering bread in various neighborhoods in the area.

"The news has caused great sorrow in the town, as he was a hardworking man, a revolutionary, and a family man; he didn’t deserve to die like that, honestly," said one of the individuals interviewed by CiberCuba, deeply affected by the crime. They also expressed sympathy for the terrible loss to his family, especially his mother, an elderly woman.

Another neighbor mentioned that Castillo's mother is devastated by the murder, calling the situation "too sad for someone who was just trying to earn a decent living."

As of the time this report was published, there has been no statement from the authorities or the official press regarding the crime.

The publication by Mayeta and other posts on Facebook have prompted hundreds of users to react, many expressing their outrage over the murder and the police's inaction in addressing crime.

Those who knew Castillo agreed that he was a very good person. "A man of few words, honest," "humble, hardworking, and noble, a family man, what a tragic death," were some of the remarks from those close to him.

There are countless condolence messages for Castillo's family, another victim of violence and insecurity in Cuba.

Alongside the deep sorrow over the worker's death, the comments also reflected the concerns of Cubans regarding the rise in crime and criminality in the country, as well as calls for authorities to enact stronger laws and penalties, including the death penalty, particularly against those who commit murder.

The sentiment of the population is summed up in opinions like these: “This is what those criminals are dedicated to nowadays—killing to take what belongs to others; in an instant, they take a person's life to acquire the fruits of many years of hard work. The authorities should apply all their laws against them and let the full weight of the law fall upon them; no more injustices like this,” stated a man.

"There is a threat to the guards; right now, nobody wants that job," warned another internet user, while a third recalled, "The guards stand watch unarmed, and if they are robbed, they have to pay for what is stolen and they get fired. If they try to stop it, they are killed."

"There are no longer thieves; now they are killers. That's why the law needs to change for those who kill. Those who kill must die, period," was another person's emphatic statement.

In the last month, Santiago de Cuba has been shaken by the murders of two security guards while they were on duty—one at a market and the other at a paladar—during attempts to rob them.

At the end of November, authorities arrested the perpetrator of both crimes and the attack on a third security guard, who survived the assault.

But this year, the guards of a notary and a cooperative in Santiago de Cuba, a currency exchange store in Havana, and a grocery store in Ciego de Ávila were also murdered. In some of these incidents, it was reported that the motive was robbery.

Frequently Asked Questions about Violence and Insecurity in Santiago de Cuba