José Enrique Morales Besada, a young LGBTQ+ activist from Cuba, reported that he encountered in the United States the same attackers who forced him to leave his country.
It involves Reisel and Leiser Herrera Pardo, who were accused in 2017 of brutally attacking him in Cuba. Today, instead of stopping the harassment, they continue to harass him through offensive messages and threats.
According to the report published by Morales Besada, also known as "Vida Victoria," the Herrera Pardo brothers—linked to the Cuban repressive system—currently reside in the U.S. and would have entered the country claiming to be exiles.
However, the victim claims that both concealed their violent history and continue to engage in homophobic behaviors from U.S. territory.
In 2017, Morales Besada was the victim of a violent attack in Ciego de Ávila that left him with serious physical and psychological repercussions.
The attackers, identified as Reisel and Leiser Herrera Pardo, were reported to the Cuban authorities but ultimately acquitted. The case was extensively documented by independent media and human rights organizations.
“Impunity accompanies them. They hide like false exiles, but they continue to attack,” denounced the young man, who claims that the attackers have contacted him through social media with messages that include homophobic insults such as “bird” and “faggot,” which constitutes an alleged hate crime on American soil.
Morales Besada also released an audio in which the father of the attackers, known as "Momporro," allegedly hurls threats and insults, reviving the trauma that forced him into exile.
These events, combined with the documented history of violence, have sparked a public plea to the U.S. immigration and judicial authorities. The young man created a petition on the Change.org platform to demand the deportation of his attackers.
Organizations and citizens have begun to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, and other institutions investigate how the Herrera Pardo brothers entered the country. There are calls to verify whether they concealed their history when applying for immigration benefits.
“United States cannot be a refuge for aggressors. Freedom should not be used as a shield to continue harming others,” the statement widely circulating on social media indicates.
The case has had a significant impact among activists and human rights defenders, as it shows that harassment can cross borders and that the immigration system may be exploited by individuals with a history of violence.
The community demands justice, transparency, and effective protection for those who have been victims of discrimination, gender-based violence, and political persecution.
Frequently Asked Questions about the case of José Enrique Morales Besada and the Cuban migration situation in the U.S.
Who is José Enrique Morales Besada and what is he denouncing in the U.S.?
José Enrique Morales Besada is a Cuban LGBTQ+ activist who reported finding his attackers, Reisel and Leiser Herrera Pardo, in the U.S. Those individuals brutally assaulted him in Cuba in 2017. He currently claims that they continue to harass him with homophobic messages, which constitutes an alleged hate crime on U.S. territory.
Why is the case of the Herrera Pardo brothers relevant in the U.S.?
The case of the Herrera Pardo brothers is significant because it highlights how individuals with a history of violence and connections to the Cuban repressive system can enter the U.S. by presenting themselves as exiles. This has raised calls for U.S. immigration and judicial authorities to investigate their entry into the country and ensure that violent histories are not concealed in immigration applications.
What actions is José Enrique Morales Besada taking to seek justice?
Morales Besada has created a petition on Change.org to demand the deportation of his attackers and has called on authorities like ICE and the FBI to investigate his case. The activist seeks to verify whether the Herrera Pardo brothers concealed their violent history when applying for immigration benefits in the U.S.
How does this case relate to the current migratory context of Cubans in the U.S.?
The case of Morales Besada reflects the complexity of the U.S. immigration system, where individuals with past records can take advantage of asylum and refugee policies. This adds to the growing tension and debate surrounding deportations and the treatment of Cuban migrants, in a context where many face legal uncertainty due to changes in immigration policies under the Trump administration.
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