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The Cuban university community faces a new loss with the passing of Dr. Pedro Álvarez Cruz, a professor at the Faculty of Geography of the University of Havana (UH).
The institution announced the news this Wednesday through its official profile on Facebook, where it expressed its sorrow over the loss of a beloved and respected teacher.
According to the publication, Álvarez dedicated his life to teaching and training generations of students, leaving a deep mark on the academic community.
The faculty described him as an upright teacher, committed to his country and passionate about geography, who consistently advocated for the idea of putting knowledge to the service of society.
"Professor Pedro Álvarez Cruz was an tireless advocate for just causes and a man of wisdom and human quality who will always remain in our memory," stated the note from the Faculty of Geography at UH.
The passing of Álvarez Cruz occurs amidst a wave of recent deaths that has shocked the Cuban university community.
At the University of Oriente (UO), one of the most recognized institutions in the country, at least eight deaths have been reported since October 1 among professors, students, and staff associated with the institution, as denounced by activist Yamilka Lafita Cancio, known as Lara Crofs.
"Broken families, internet users asking on social media: what did they die from? Neither the university nor the Ministry of Higher Education respond. They just say 'rest in peace' and that's it," wrote Lafita, referring to what he described as an unusual chain of deaths within the Cuban academic environment.
The publications from the University of Oriente have confirmed the deaths of Raudel de Armas Louis, professor of Biology; Beatriz Carmenaty Corona, student of Sociocultural Management; Luis Enrique Vicet Castellanos, student of Mechanical Engineering; Pedro Antonio Rodríguez Fernández, tenured professor of Agronomy; Elio Hermis Castellanos Caballero and Santiago Parra Boffil, retired professors; Ángel Mario Trenard Sayago, artist and educator; and Nuris Ávila Saint Félix, professor of Education Sciences.
The losses, which include both young students and experienced educators, have left a sense of bewilderment within the academic community, as Cuban authorities provide no explanations regarding the causes of the deaths.
La muerte del doctor Pedro Álvarez Cruz refuerza ese sentimiento de duelo y preocupación en el sector universitario del país, que atraviesa una etapa marcada por el deterioro institucional, la falta de recursos y el silencio oficial ante hechos que conmueven a cientos de familias cubanas.
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