Related videos:
A Cuban reportedly attempted to take his own life inside the immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz" in Florida.
The incident became known through a phone call shared by the journalist from Univision, Javier Díaz, in which an inmate—also of Cuban origin—described to his wife with distress what had happened inside the module where the alleged affected individual was being held.
So far, no federal agency has officially confirmed the incident, nor have they provided details about the identity or health status of the Cuban migrant involved.
According to the testimony captured in the audio, the detainee—identified only as a "morenito" who was held in Bravo 2, section 4—allegedly improvised a noose using a sheet, which he passed through the mesh of his cell.
Then he climbed onto the upper bunk and jumped from the second bed, in an apparent attempt at suicide.
The narrative describes a moment of extreme tension and desperation within the module.
According to the witness, the man was still breathing when other inmates managed to bring him down, holding him while they tried to free him from the sheet and prevent a fatal outcome.
“We had to loosen the rope, while the guards arrived, those below held him up and lifted him”, narrated the inmate, who spoke with his wife, visibly shaken.
The detainee was ultimately placed on an improvised stretcher while the inmates waited for the arrival of the security personnel.
The witness asserts that the Cuban was taken out of the area unconscious but with vital signs.
“They just took him away from here; he was breathing on the stretcher, now they took him, but those bastards took their time”, he expressed during the call, in a tone of indignation and desperation.
The witness stated that the blow suffered by the detainee was severe, to the point of fearing for his life: “They tackled him and held him down; he was still breathing, but from the blow he took, he’s now incapacitated.”
The recording also reflects the emotional impact that the episode had on other detainees.
According to the account, two young boys - almost children - began to cry after witnessing what happened and were handcuffed by the guards, which heightened the chaos and tension.
Reports of negligence and lack of oversight
One of the most serious elements of the testimony points to an alleged negligence in oversight within the detention center.
The inmate questioned the delay of the guards in responding to the scene and stated that, at the time of the incident, there was no effective supervision in the module.
“Where are the guards who are here to protect us?”, she claimed during the call.
According to their version, one of the guards was asleep in a chair, while others claimed that the staff was distributing food.
Precarious conditions and psychological weariness
In addition to the alleged suicide attempt, the audio revealed precarious living conditions inside Alligator Alcatraz.
The inmate mentioned several days without access to showers, hygiene issues, and a constant stressful environment that severely affects the mental health of the detainees.
These conditions, combined with migratory uncertainty, isolation, and prolonged detention, have been identified by experts as high-risk factors for emotional crises and suicidal behaviors among individuals detained for migratory reasons.
So far, the identity of the Cuban citizen is unknown, as well as their current health status and whether they were transferred to a hospital or another medical facility.
It is also not known whether emergency protocols or psychological assistance were activated following the incident.
The alleged suicide attempt of this Cuban citizen underscores the extreme vulnerability of migrants in custody and rekindles the debate about the conditions in which thousands of individuals await a resolution to their immigration processes.
As of the publication of this note, there is no additional information about the tragic incident.
Filed under: