Jorge Luis Vega García, former lieutenant colonel of Cuba's Ministry of Interior (MININT) and accused of crimes against humanity due to his repressive history in maximum security prisons, now lives freely in the United States after entering legally through the humanitarian parole program.
Nicknamed “Veguita” by those who endured him, Vega García was identified by former political prisoners as a violent repressor, responsible for beatings, physical and psychological torture, inhumane treatment, and persecution for political reasons, reported journalist Mario J. Pentón from Martí Noticias this Thursday.
His record includes the leadership of the Agüica prison in Colón and later the command of the Canaleta penal facility in Perico, both located in the province of Matanzas.
According to the platform Cuban Repressors - Stop the Violence!, Vega García violated international rules such as the Mandela Rules and Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, denying medical attention, orchestrating systematic beatings, and directly advising on mechanisms of prison repression.
Despite this, he managed to enter the United States on January 20, 2024, through Tampa Airport, accompanied by his wife and son, without the immigration authorities detecting his repressive history. Subsequently, he requested to benefit from the Cuban Adjustment Act, according to sources close to the immigration process.
The testimonies that identify him as "Veguita" are damning:
“He was trained by Emilio Cruz, the most notorious hitman from Agüica. He commanded groups of common prisoners to provoke us, steal our belongings, and beat us. He was cold, methodical, and repressive,” denounced Benito Ortega Suárez, former political prisoner.
“Veguita is one of those faces that get tattooed on your soul. He kept us without sunlight, in isolation. Once, a young man jumped from the third floor before facing a beating from him,” recalled Pablo Pacheco Ávila from the Group of 75.
“Veguita told me to my face: ‘You are never going to leave here’,” recalled Fidel Suárez Cruz, who still suffers physical aftereffects from the beatings.
He was also accused of repressing families during visits to the prison. “He made life impossible for everyone who thought differently,” stated Blas Giraldo Reyes, also a former political prisoner.
Two sources with access to classified information in Cuba told Martí Noticias that Vega's personal file was removed from the Immigration and Foreigners system, a common practice of the regime to facilitate the departure of former trusted officials. Even his Facebook account was deleted shortly after his arrival in the U.S.
Documents obtained by journalists reveal signatures of yours both in Cuba and on U.S. soil, reinforcing the direct connection between your identity and the reported abuses.
The case has revived criticism of the humanitarian parole program, which has allowed the entry of hundreds of thousands of people without thorough verification. For the victims, this is not an administrative error: it is a moral affront.
"I know peaceful opponents who were beaten and not allowed to enter the U.S. Meanwhile, this man walks freely on our streets," lamented Ortega Suárez.
From exile, more than mere deportation is demanded. The victims are calling for a criminal investigation, the identification of other similar cases, and the implementation of more stringent controls in immigration programs.
A network of impunity under scrutiny
According to reports from the Cuban exile community, at least 100 repressors and front men of the regime have settled in the U.S. in recent years. Congressman Carlos Giménez announced that he will submit a new list to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to stop this infiltration.
Giménez, along with fellow congress members Mario Díaz-Balart and María Elvira Salazar, has demanded that the government take stronger action. The arrest in May and subsequent deportation of repressor Daniel Morejón García set a precedent: he was expelled after his involvement in the repression on July 11 was uncovered.
"These communist monsters have no place here. They have committed crimes against humanity and are now taking advantage of our laws to retire in the U.S.", denounced Giménez.
Immigration authorities, including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have intensified their investigations, and activists are demanding a more thorough review of parole and residency applications from Cuban citizens with ties to MININT, its Rapid Response Brigade, and the Communist Party.
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