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The body of the young Cuban Dayrovis Martínez Mendoza, who passed away in a construction accident in Guyana on September 22, was finally repatriated to Cuba after weeks of efforts and painful negotiations between his family and local authorities, reported the Guyanese outlet Stabroek News.
Martínez Mendoza, 24 years old, died when a poorly constructed concrete wall collapsed on him at a construction site located in Bachelor’s Adventure, on the east coast of Demerara.
The tragic incident occurred in September on a private property where a supermarket and a residential complex were being constructed, belonging to the Chinese businessman Xie Guohui, who had leased the land for 40 years and was overseeing the work.
According to a report from the Guyana Chronicle, the structure, measuring about 4.5 meters high and 36.5 meters long, collapsed suddenly around 11:30 in the morning, trapping the young Cuban under the debris.
Witnesses reported that several workers were at the site when the wall gave way, and they recounted that the victim briefly tried to return to retrieve their electric bicycle just before the collapse.
Firefighters and police teams arrived at the site and worked for several minutes to remove the concrete and recover the body. The Guyana Times added that no other workers were injured, and that the Minister of Labor and Workforce Planning, Keoma Griffith, immediately visited the area with a technical team from the Ministry to initiate the investigation.
The minister later stated that the case is "almost concluded" and reiterated that health and workplace safety must be a priority in all workplaces. Meanwhile, the project remains suspended until the exact causes of the collapse and possible responsibilities are determined.
Tras el accidente, la familia de Martínez Mendoza, que había llegado a Guyana hacía apenas cuatro meses en busca de mejores oportunidades, enfrentó semanas de angustia para repatriar su cuerpo.
According to Stabroek News, the family finally received financial compensation, although they described it as “insufficient” in light of the suffering and losses incurred.
The body was transferred to Cuba and buried in his hometown, marking the end of a story defined by distance, job insecurity, and a lack of protection for migrant workers.
The tragedy of Dayrovis Martínez Mendoza reveals the risks that many Cubans take when emigrating in search of a better future and the urgent need to enhance safety in workplaces where hundreds of migrants perform tasks without adequate guarantees or supervision.
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