Families of young recruits missing after explosions at Holguín military warehouse speak out

Relatives of two of the nine young people missing from the explosions that occurred early Tuesday morning at an arms and ammunition depot in the Melones community, in the municipality of Rafael Freyre, Holguín, described to CubaNet the difficult hours their families are experiencing.

“We are very sad and desperate. They tell us we have to wait for them to call us when they have new information. This is very hard”, said a relative of José Carlos Guerrero García, one of the missing.

Natural from Banes, José Carlos Guerrero García is only 19 years old.

“We are told that the search efforts are ongoing and we hold on to faith in a miracle, but we can only be certain that there are many dead due to the magnitude of the explosions, and apparently they were inside the establishment,” a cousin of Rayme Rojas Rojas also detailed under the condition of anonymity to the cited media.

A Rayme Rojas Rojas, 20 years old, only had six months left to complete his Military Service and return home.

"He was counting the days because the two years he had to serve were almost over," the source added.

The Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) of Cuba confirmed this Tuesday that 13 people are missing as a result of the incident: two of them hold the rank of major and two more are second non-commissioned officers; the remaining nine have been identified as "soldiers."

The missing "soldiers" are Leinier Jorge Sánchez Franco; Frank Antonio Hidalgo Almaguer; Liander José García Oliva; Yunior Hernández Rojas; Rayme Rojas Rojas; Carlos Alejandro Acosta Silva; Brian Lázaro Rojas Long; José Carlos Guerrero García, and Héctor Adrián Batista Zayas.

The case recalls what happened in August 2022, when a large-scale fire at the Supertankers Base in Matanzas resulted in the deaths of 17 firefighters, four of whom were young individuals aged between 19 and 21. They were not professional firefighters; instead, they were fulfilling Active Military Service and lacked the experience to handle a scenario of such magnitude.

Authorities urge family members not to lose hope

The local authorities of the municipality of Rafael Freyre issued a message of solidarity this Wednesday urging the families of the victims and the community to keep “hope alive” amidst the anguish and uncertainty, despite the usual secrecy in official communications.

“We know that the anguish of not knowing the whereabouts of loved ones is an immense burden, and we want you to know that our thoughts and hopes are with you,” the statement says.

The text also emphasized the importance of mutual support and collective strength during these difficult times, although it refrained from providing details about the missing individuals or any progress made in accessing the site of the explosion.

In their message, local authorities reiterated their willingness to provide emotional support and assistance to the families affected by the tragedy.

"We urge you to support one another and seek comfort in the love of those around you. Together, we can face this adversity and keep the faith," the statement concluded.

Military Service in Cuba, the Inevitable Evil

Military service has been mandatory in Cuba since June 1963, and this requirement was reaffirmed following the approval of the 1976 Constitution, which led to the enactment of the laws that regulate it.

The requirement was enshrined in the 2019 Constitution, which prohibited claiming conscientious objection to evade compliance. Those who say, for example, that taking up arms is incompatible with their religion are prosecuted.

The Military Penal Code is strict and imposes sentences of up to five years in prison for those who evade the SMA.

Despite a diplomat from Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) claiming at the UN in May 2022 that this recruitment was "voluntary," the mandatory nature of military service is indisputable.

In its Third Section (Article 77), the National Defense Law establishes that “male citizens, during the year they turn sixteen years old, are required to formally register in the military registry,” and that “once registered in the military registry, citizens are obliged to fulfill the activities aimed at their preparation for joining the Military Service and to keep their status duly updated.”

Only those who -according to articles 65 and 67 of the aforementioned law- are declared unfit for service by authorized medical commissions established by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) for that purpose are exempt from recruitment.

According to the National Defense Law, male citizens are required to serve in the military for a period of two years. For those who obtain a university placement, that period is reduced by half, but it remains mandatory.

In recent years, medical students have been exceptionally exempted.

In the case of women, it is known as the Voluntary Female Military Service - and in this case, it is indeed voluntary - and it is an option that some women choose in order to pursue a university career, as the so-called Order 18 of the FAR allows them to pursue higher education as long as they have completed secondary education.

In 2019, Cuban military courts established sanctions for military recruits who self-harm to be discharged, a common practice in recent decades with several regrettable incidents as a result.

The mandatory Military Service has been systematically criticized by Cubans; however, recruitment did not stop even during the coronavirus pandemic, something that was severely criticized by the citizens.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Explosion at the Holguín Military Warehouse