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The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) confirmed this Saturday the arrest, in the city of Remedios, of the alleged murderer of the captain of the Revolutionary National Police (PNR) Leonel Mesa Rodríguez, chief of sector in the municipality of Caibarién.
According to the official report, during the arrest, the deceased officer's service weapon —with its magazine— and the knife used in the crime.
The MININT specified that the detainee will be , “with the rigor established by revolutionary justice and in accordance with the magnitude and seriousness of the act.” So far, the identity of the alleged aggressor has not been disclosed.
The arrest occurred following investigative actions that began "from the very moment of the incident," according to the official statement.
The lifeless body of Captain Mesa Rodríguez, 62 years old, was found early Friday morning on a stretch of road between Remedios and Caibarién, in the La Reforma popular council — where he served as sector chief — with six stab wounds and a gunshot to the head. Next to the body was the official motorcycle he used for his work.
The officer was honored and laid to rest this Saturday with military honors in his hometown of Taguasco (Sancti Spíritus).
The ceremony was attended by family members, neighbors, and colleagues, along with the senior leadership of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), headed by the Minister himself, General Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas.
The first secretaries of the Party in Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus also attended, Suseli Morfa González (remembered by the Cuban people as the millionaire psychologist) and Delvy Pérez Martín, respectively.
The regime described the incident as a direct attack and stated that specialized teams are continuing the investigation “to achieve a full clarification.”
Before the official report, neighbors and independent media shared consistent accounts of the incident; CubaNet reported access to videos where the agent is seen lying on the road while other officers redirected traffic.
A bus driver reported having seen him hours earlier talking to someone at the side of the road.
Mesa Rodríguez joined the MININT in January 2004 and served as a public order agent, operational vehicle driver, and sector chief for over 10 years, until his promotion to the rank of captain.
Frequently asked questions about the murder of the police officer in Caibarién
Who was arrested for the murder of the police captain in Caibarién?
The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) confirmed the arrest of the alleged murderer of Captain Leonel Mesa Rodríguez of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) in the city of Remedios. The detainee will undergo the appropriate criminal proceedings for the crime.
How did the murder of Captain Leonel Mesa Rodríguez happen?
The body of Captain Mesa Rodríguez was found on a stretch of road between Remedios and Caibarién with six stab wounds and a gunshot to the head. The murder was a confirmed direct attack by MININT.
What has been the Cuban regime's reaction to the murder of the officer?
The Cuban regime described the assassination as a direct attack and assured that specialized teams continue to investigate to fully clarify the matter. The government's response includes a speech of resistance against the growing violence on the island.
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