Father of young Cuban who died in military service: "They are human beings, enough with the slavery."

Alfredo González, the father of Annier González, an 18-year-old Cuban who committed suicide while serving in the Mandatory Military Service in Matanzas, continues to demonstrate that the pursuit of justice is a lifelong mission for him. He has now spoken out about the conditions and circumstances surrounding the trial of those allegedly responsible for his son's death.

“My son was not a criminal; he was just an immature teenager, responsible and respectful, deserving of better treatment than being treated like a slave before and after his death. Enough with the countless victims of Mandatory Military Service in Cuba; they are human beings, not slaves,” she wrote in the Facebook group “No More VICTIMS in Military Service in Cuba.”

Alfredo shared some of the events that occurred during the twelve days his son was under military service, highlighting how the military justice system operates in Cuba following a trial instigated by his own complaint. “My son was not a criminal; he was merely forced to endure that misfortune,” he said.

Indignant, the father presented reasons that led to inconsistencies in the trial, ranging from the individual who was judged—a captain who was a second lieutenant at the time of his son's death and who rapidly rose in rank—to the coercion exerted by Military Counterintelligence (CIM) on the lawyer who was defending him.

According to Alfredo's complaint, his son had very little preparation time during the pre-call. Of that time, twelve days were spent marching, one day at the shooting range, and one more day for medical examinations.

Annier passed away on July 4, 2021, after being assigned to a shift at the Combinado del Sur prison with only 13 days in the unit and without the proper training to carry a firearm.

On several occasions, his father has expressed that his life has become a living hell since then, lamenting that he did not remove his son from an environment he describes as filled with mediocre officials who are supposed to care for and not mistreat young people.

In February 2024, in front of his son's grave, Alfredo vowed to exhaust all available legal resources and, if he received no answers, expressed his willingness to take to the streets in search of justice. He denounced that the prosecutors and officials involved in the case have lied and failed to fulfill their duties, holding them responsible for Annier's death.

Despite approaching various institutions, Alfredo claims he has not received satisfactory responses. Recently, he reported that a file appeared in the Prosecutor's Office containing an alleged investigation by the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), which he believes is rife with inaccuracies and falsehoods, carried out in a careless manner.

He criticized the attempt to hold his son accountable, claiming a psychopathic adaptation issue related to military service, when, according to him, the true culprits are the institutions that allowed the abuses to occur.

In a country where dissent is suppressed, the words of this father represent an act of courage that highlights the suffering of many Cuban families, even though similar cases have been reported in independent media.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mandatory Military Service in Cuba