Feminicide in Songo La Maya: young mother is murdered by her partner

The young Cuban Leysi Liettis Cascaret Casero, just 22 years old, was murdered by her partner and father of her young daughter in the municipality of Songo La Maya, in yet another case of femicide that shakes the island.

Lis Arianna, the victim's aunt, stated on Facebook that her niece was murdered by Gustavo Ortiz Velazquez, the father of the baby, who was only 45 days old.

"Murdered by the father of her child. A mother who had given birth a month and a half ago. He strangled her, Gustavo Ortiz Velazquez," she emphasized.

He recounted that the incident "happened on the afternoon of Saturday, June 7, in Manguito, in the municipality of La Maya."

The woman demands justice for her niece and denounces that the "corrupt police are covering for the murderer."

According to an account given to CubaNet by neighbor Adis Leyva, who lives in the El Manguito neighborhood where the crime occurred, "he hit her and strangled her until she fainted. It seems that afterwards he got scared and left her still for a while. Then he took her to the clinic, but it was already too late."

The attacker, identified as Gustavo Ortiz Velazquez, tried to feign a rescue by taking the young woman to the local clinic. However, the results of the autopsy confirmed that she was brutally beaten and strangled.

Sources cited by CubaNet indicate that the assailant arrived at the health center around two in the afternoon, with Leysi unconscious in his arms and pretending to ask for help. While the doctors attempted to revive her, the man was outside, visibly nervous and smoking incessantly. Despite the efforts, the victim had already passed away.

The forensic report revealed multiple bruises and injuries consistent with domestic violence. The police arrested the suspect at the same medical facility.

Leysi, a medical sciences student, had given birth to a baby girl just six weeks ago. The baby is now motherless and her father is behind bars.

"What happened to that little girl breaks the heart. She was still nursing. The same day they killed her mother, you could hear the girl's screams," Adis Leyva recounted.

The femicide of Leysi Liettis Cascaret Casero adds to the alarming statistics of gender violence on the island. According to the feminist platforms YoSíTeCreo en Cuba and the Gender Observatory of Alas Tensas, by May, 15 femicides had been confirmed in the country, with six additional cases under investigation.

The death of Leysi would raise the confirmed victim count to at least 16 in 2025.

In 2024, 55 femicides were recorded in Cuba, leaving 62 children orphaned of their mothers.

Organizations and activists are once again demanding the urgent approval of a Comprehensive Law Against Gender Violence, a long-overdue issue in the Cuban legal system.

They report that the lack of specific legislation, prevention mechanisms, and victim support perpetuates a climate of impunity and vulnerability.

"The absence of a law leaves women and minors adrift," warn feminist groups, who are demanding that the State implement concrete and effective measures to stop these crimes and ensure justice for the victims.

Frequently Asked Questions about Feminicide in Cuba