Related videos:
The Mexican immigration authorities granted humanitarian visas to the parents of Elianis Betsalie Martínez, the young Cuban who was killed in the attack on the Lacoss bar in the city of Puebla, an event that has shaken the Cuban migrant community both inside and outside the island.
The special permit, confirmed by local media, including A Tiempo Noticias, Epicentro Diario, and Diario Cambio, will allow both parents to travel from Cuba to formally identify the body, carry out funeral arrangements, and return with their daughter's ashes. This is an unprecedented procedure for Cuban citizens in a context of criminal violence in Mexico.
An identification conducted via video call
The young woman, at just 20 years old, was officially identified through a Zoom video call, as her family, residing in rural areas of Holguín, was unable to travel to Mexico immediately. Her aunt Sarahí and her maternal grandfather took part in the procedure, confirming the identity of the body to personnel from the Mexican Forensic Medical Service.
The remote process, which included the review of post-mortem photographs and the validation of physical features, was deemed by prosecutors and experts as an exceptional resource given the family's migratory and economic limitations.
The situation created an administrative limbo that kept Elianis's remains from being claimed for days, until the National Institute of Migration finally approved the humanitarian visa for her parents.
The pending journey and a mourning marked by distance
With the visa approved, in addition to allowing a temporary stay in Mexico for six months, the parents will be able to move to Puebla and complete the process they had not been able to undertake due to travel restrictions and lack of resources. They will then return to the island with their daughter's ashes, as they requested from the beginning.
The father of the young woman reported that Elianis had recently migrated to Mexico "in search of a better world," and that she had only been working in nightclubs for a few weeks. Her death left a two-year-old child orphaned.
The attack on the Lacoss bar occurred in the early hours of November 18, when an armed group sprayed gasoline inside the establishment and set it on fire after threatening customers and employees. According to local authorities, the assault is believed to be linked to an alleged extortion case. In total, seven people have died.
The story of Elianis, a dancer, young mother, and economic provider for her family, has become a new reminder of the vulnerability faced by Cuban migrants in Mexico, many of whom are caught between economic necessity and the violence that plagues the country.
Filed under: