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The arrest in the United States of the former lieutenant colonel of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT), Jorge Luis Vega García, identified by multiple former political prisoners as a repressive agent, has been celebrated by Cuban-American congress members, who demanded justice for the victims of the regime.
“Neither forgetfulness nor forgiveness for the oppressors!” wrote Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar on her social media. “Today he tried to hide behind the freedom he denied to thousands. […] The accomplices of communism are not welcome in the U.S. Let him face justice and pay for every crime committed against the Cuban people!” she stated.
The congressman Carlos Giménez also expressed his thoughts, stating that “the immigration agencies are taking into account the information we have provided to investigate and capture the repressors of the murderous regime in Cuba who have infiltrated the USA.”
"Veguita": From the Cuban prison to the streets of Florida
Jorge Luis Vega García, known as “Veguita” by those who endured him, entered U.S. territory on January 20, 2024, through Tampa International Airport, supported by the humanitarian parole program, along with his wife and child.
His presence in the U.S. caused a stir after journalist Mario J. Pentón revealed his repressive record as the head of the Agüica and Canaleta prisons in Matanzas.
According to testimonies collected by Martí Noticias, Vega not only ordered physical and psychological torture but also directly led beatings and inhumane practices against political prisoners.
He was accused of denying medical attention, subjecting individuals to prolonged confinement, and even manipulating common inmates to attack detained opponents.
“Veguita is one of those faces that get tattooed on your soul. He kept us in the dark, in isolation. Once, a young man jumped from the third floor before facing one of his beatings,” said Pablo Pacheco Ávila, from the Group of 75.
Reports from exile and demands for justice
Organizations of the Cuban exile community and former political prisoners have denounced that their entry into the country represents a mockery of the victims and a serious failure in immigration controls.
“I know peaceful opponents who were beaten and not allowed to enter the U.S. Meanwhile, this man walks freely on our streets,” lamented Benito Ortega Suárez.
Congressman Giménez had sent a formal letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, requesting the deportation of Vega and providing documentation that directly links him to systematic violations of human rights.
Although ICE confirmed the arrest of the former officer this Tuesday, the formal charges have not yet been disclosed. However, activists and victims insist that the response should not be limited to deportation, but rather move towards a criminal investigation that sets a precedent.
Silences that protect and documents that betray
Two sources with access to classified information in Cuba confirmed that Vega's file was deleted from the Immigration and Foreigners Department system, which they describe as a strategy by the regime to facilitate the departure of trusted former officials. Additionally, his Facebook account was deleted following his arrival in the U.S.
Nevertheless, journalists have obtained documents with their signatures both in Cuba and in the U.S., which allowed for the confirmation of their identity and direct connection to the reported abuses.
For those who endured the prison terror of the regime, "Veguita" represents more than just a face: it is the symbol of a system that continues to leave open wounds.
“He said to our faces: 'You are never going to leave here'”, recalled Fidel Suárez Cruz, who still suffers physical consequences from the beatings.
The case reopens the debate on the effectiveness of migration programs like humanitarian parole and raises an uncomfortable question: how many others like Vega have managed to evade scrutiny and now live freely on American soil?
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