The First Criminal Chamber of the Provincial People's Court of Artemisa sentenced two citizens to seven and eight years of imprisonment, respectively, for theft and illegal slaughter of large livestock.
During the oral and public trial of case No. 207 of 2024, held on September 26, 2025, it was stated that the accused went to the area along the road of the Carranza farm, in the municipality of Mariel, where they stole and slaughtered a cow, with the intention of selling its meat and obtaining illicit profits.
The court established that they acted "without authorization" and with the aim of "illegally increasing their personal wealth," reported the telecenter Artemisa Visión.
In addition to prison sentences, the court imposed accessory penalties on the defendants, including a ban on leaving the national territory and the seizure of the instruments used in the crime, as well as the payment of civil liability for the damages caused to the owner of the animal.
The official statement emphasized that during the process, "due process guarantees were upheld" and that the "due process enshrined in the Constitution" was respected, insisting that the sanctions were determined based on the "social conduct and the harmfulness of the actions" of the accused.
Although the authorities present the ruling as an exercise in justice and legal control, the tone of the report and the state coverage suggest a punitive character, in line with the government strategy to demonstrate severe punishments in response to the increasing cases of theft and cattle slaughter in the country, amid food shortages and rising prices affecting the population.
At the end of September, the Provincial People's Tribunal of Mayabeque , after breaking into a house in the municipality of Güines, where he threatened a father and his son with a machete.
A few days ago, four slaughterers were arrested in Ciego de Ávila after being accused of systematically stealing cattle from farmers in the La Palma area, where they operated with complete impunity.
Previously, in Sancti Spíritus, a prisoner on temporary leave took the opportunity to steal a horse and slaughter it in his own home, located on Bayamo Street.
Similarly, a young man was caught trying to steal a cow on the grounds of the old sugar mill Salvador Rosales, known as Algodonal, in Santiago de Cuba, and was subdued by the neighbors and with his hands tied, forced to walk behind a horse-drawn cart.
The route passed through several streets of the community belonging to the municipality of Songo-La Maya and aimed to showcase it publicly.
In Holguín, a man was caught on video while sacrificing a horse in broad daylight, which caused outrage and fear among the neighbors due to the impunity with which he acted.
A few weeks later, in Granma, the authorities
The operation dismantled a network that was illegally trading meat products in the region, without sanitary control or legal authorization.
In Havana, the police have also taken action against this type of crime. A network of slaughtermen was dismantled by law enforcement after a clandestine slaughter point was discovered where they operated without hygienic conditions or permits, directly affecting public health.
Cuban farmers report that the theft and slaughter of cattle remains out of control in the fields of the island, seriously impacting agricultural economics and food security.
The Cuban citizens have expressed their growing concern about the rise in crime in various areas of the country, especially violent robberies, assaults, and thefts in broad daylight.
This type of incident fuels the debate over public safety in Cuba, where many citizens express feeling increasingly vulnerable in the face of the impunity of criminals, amidst a context marked by public discontent, blackouts, and protests in various provinces.
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