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The family of the young Cuban recruit Daniel Quesada Morales, reported missing after heading to his military unit, confirmed that the young man has been found safe and sound, after several days of intense worry.
In a message shared this Wednesday, Mileika Milena Milán Almeida, close to the family, thanked “first and foremost God” and then the authorities and all those who were concerned about the case, while urging an end to the rumors circulating on social media regarding an alleged escape from military service.
The family spokesperson explained that Daniel was not avoiding service, but rather, due to the difficult economic situation, he did not have enough money to reach his unit.
For that reason, he reached out to a relative who was picking coffee, where he started to work with the goal of earning some money to afford the trip to the military unit.
"The boy turned to a relative for financial reasons... the economic situation is quite difficult; his father did not have enough resources," he detailed.
Milán clarified that at the location where he was, they were not aware that he was undergoing military service, as his presence there was solely due to a temporary work agreement to gather the necessary funds.
Therefore, he expressly requested: "Avoid comments, avoid malicious things. The boy was not fleeing from military service; he simply did not have the financial means to reach that unit."
The family expressed their relief upon confirming that Daniel is okay, although at the time of the message, they still did not know whether he would go directly to the unit or if he would first stop by his house to see his parents, a possibility that—he said—depended on the decision of the military authorities in charge of the case.
"We've already confirmed that he is there… we still don't know if he's going straight to the unit or if he will go home," he explained.
In her speech, Mileika Milena also recalled the distressing context that the family experienced in the days leading up to the event.
Daniel, 19 years old, had been missing since Monday, November 10, when he left his home in El Diamante de Santa Rita, municipality of Jiguaní (Granma), heading to his unit in Aguas Claras, Holguín, but did not arrive at his destination.
Despite the efforts of the family and authorities, initially there were no updates about her whereabouts, which prompted an intense search campaign on social media.
In the midst of uncertainty, Mileika Milena herself then shared a plea for help on social media, clarifying that the images of the young man were posted with his parents' consent, as a desperate measure to seek public assistance.
He emphasized that it was not a political complaint, but a humanitarian plea, and called for respect towards the pain of the family and an entire community that was praying for the young man.
"I ask you to please respect the pain of this family... There is a desperate neighborhood that needs information about him," he said at that moment.
With the reappearance of the recruit and the confirmation that he is out of danger, the family concluded their message with repeated thanks to those who shared the posts, called, wrote, and supported the search.
"Thank you, thank you infinitely... We are grateful on behalf of the family," Mileika concluded, emphasizing that the case should be seen as yet another example of the extreme economic difficulties faced by many young Cubans, even when it comes to fulfilling their military obligations.
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