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The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in Sancti Spíritus confirmed this Friday the occurrence of two murders in the capital city on September 13, events that have generated great shock among the population and reflect the increasing climate of violence on the island.
According to statements from Major Osbel Santos Sacerio, second-in-command of the Criminal Investigation Agency in the province, the first crime occurred on Céspedes Street, when a 31-year-old man, a native of Holguín and recently returned from the United States after a voluntary deportation in May, attacked a self-employed worker dedicated to selling sweets and confections with a machete.
The assailant, who covered his face in an attempt to avoid being identified, was recognized at the scene by the wife and daughter of the victim. The attack caused multiple injuries to the merchant, who died days later at the Camilo Cienfuegos provincial hospital.
According to Major Santos Sacerio, the detained individual had already set fire to the victim's car days before the murder, in an act that authorities associate with a long-standing personal conflict.
At the time of his capture, which took place in Jatibonico while he was attempting to flee on a bus heading to Holguín, a knife, a liter of gasoline, and a lighter were seized from him, reported Radio Sancti Spíritus.
The second violent incident occurred that same night in the vicinity of the Casa de la Música, in the Colón Popular Council.
Two men expelled from the recreation center due to a altercation continued the fight in public. During the dispute, one of them used a knife to seriously injure his rival in the chest. Although he was rushed to Camilo Cienfuegos Hospital, the victim died shortly after.
The MININT official denied the rumors circulating on social media about the supposed medical status of the deceased and specified that the attacker has a criminal record for attempted murder, assault, and disturbance of the peace. He is currently under investigation.
Authorities reported that both detainees were subjected to a precautionary measure of provisional detention and assured that their procedural rights under the Criminal Procedure Law are guaranteed.
The double day of violence, occurring in less than 24 hours, adds to the growing wave of murders, assaults, and brawls on the island. The crimes in Sancti Spíritus contrast with the official narrative that insists crime rates are decreasing, despite the data from the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC), which recorded 1,319 crimes in Cuba between January and June of this year, a record figure that reflects the insecurity faced by the population.
A growing problem: Cubans with criminal records and the debate over deportations
In the United States, the presence of Cubans with criminal records has become a topic of growing public and political attention.
Recent cases of arrests, recidivism, and judicial processes have reignited the debate on deportations and the effectiveness of immigration policies towards the Cuban community.
In Florida, Texas, and other states with a strong Cuban presence, immigration and law enforcement authorities have reported incidents of violence, serious crimes, and recidivism among a segment of migrants who arrived in the United States in various waves, particularly during the opening of irregular migration routes in recent years.
Some of these individuals, with dozens of arrests on their record, remained at large due to legal loopholes that hindered their immediate deportation.
Criticism has escalated in recent months. ICE representatives have reiterated that "foreigners who commit crimes on U.S. soil should not remain in the country" and have specifically highlighted cases of recidivist Cubans as examples of the need to expedite the expulsion processes.
Questions are also being raised from within the Cuban community, where many wonder why individuals with such extensive criminal records were not deported earlier.
The topic strikes a sensitive chord in the migratory relations between Havana and Washington. For decades, Cubans enjoyed preferential treatment that allowed them to obtain residency more quickly than other migrant groups.
However, in the current context, marked by a tightening of U.S. immigration policy and a rise in crime, cases of Cubans with criminal records fuel an official narrative in favor of deportations and the reevaluation of historical immigration benefits.
Meanwhile, local communities bear the daily impact: thefts, violent altercations, drug-related crimes, and assaults that reinforce the perception of insecurity.
For many, the recidivism of some Cuban migrants not only harms the image of the entire diaspora but also complicates the integration of those who arrived fleeing the communist regime or in search of legitimate opportunities.
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