Related videos:
A 19-year-old was fined 7,000 Cuban pesos (CUP) in the municipality of Río Cauto, Granma province, for refusing to comply with Mandatory Military Service (SMO), according to a report shared on social media.
The case was reported on the profile of Facebook belonging to Alexander Verdecia Rodríguez, where his wife, the Cuban dissident Eliannis Villavicencio Jorge, published the complaint. "I make this complaint before God and the world, just a while ago a worker from the Mandatory Military Service came to my house to fine my brother Enmanuel Espinosa Jorge 7,000 pesos,” she said in the post.
In the message, he explained that the young man “is 19 years old; neither he, nor our mother, nor I want him to serve in the military out of fear that something might happen to him.” He also stated: “My brother never wants to wear a repressive uniform. Although he is not an opponent, he resists being used by the regime. No to Mandatory Military Service.”
Villavicencio also recounted an episode that occurred in 2016, when—according to his testimony—his brother was transferred to a children's home without Amparo Filial after her detention. “I had been lied to; the boy was missing for more than 48 hours,” he wrote.
The images shared alongside the complaint show a report of "Imposition of Fines" dated February 16, 2026, which records a penalty of 7,000 CUP, as well as an official summons from the Military Committee stating that the young man was required to appear in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 75 on National Defense.
Eliannis Villavicencio Jorge is the wife of Alexander Verdecia Rodríguez, coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu) in Río Cauto, who has been imprisoned since February 2025. The Prosecutor's Office has requested a 10-year prison sentence for critical posts on social media.
After the case was published on the Facebook page of CiberCuba Noticias, the post accumulated numerous comments. Many users expressed their support for the decision made by the young man and his family. Among the messages, phrases can be found such as: “I gladly pay the 7 thousand, my son is not going to military service,” “Better to pay the fine than go,” “Well done, congratulations, families must be firm with their youth,” “I prefer to pay the fine than serve,” and “No to military service.”
Other comments warned about potential legal consequences or reminded that the service is mandatory according to current regulations. Some pointed out that noncompliance could lead to a criminal process if the summons is not adhered to. In October 2024, the Decree 103/2024 was approved, published in the Official Gazette, which updated the violations related to Mandatory Military Service and establishes fines of up to 7,000 CUP for those who fail to appear before the Military Committee when summoned.
For years, Mandatory Military Service has faced growing opposition both inside and outside of Cuba. Campaigns like #NoAlServicioMilitarObligatorio have resurfaced following the deaths of recruits, explosions in military facilities, and repeated allegations of mistreatment and lack of transparency within the units. In recent weeks, there have been reports of young people being transferred to Havana without clear information provided to their families; highlighting the case of a mother who reported that the official who shot her son inside a military unit remains at large; and new summons accompanied by warnings about possible criminal consequences, according to testimonies shared on social media.
This is joined by complaints from family members who claim they have not received official explanations following serious incidents, such as in the case of the mother demanding justice for the death of her son in a military unit, Antonio Rassi Roque.
Far from being isolated incidents, these reports have created an atmosphere of distrust and fear surrounding mandatory recruitment. In that context, the fine imposed on the young man from Río Cauto does not seem like a one-off event, but rather a part of a broader policy that continues to raise questions about the real guarantees for young people and their families.
Beyond the amount of the fine—7,000 CUP, a significant sum in the context of Cuban salaries—the case brings back to the forefront of debate the coercive nature of Mandatory Military Service and the right of young people to decide about their future without economic pressure or repercussions. In a country marked by a lack of institutional transparency and repeated reports of abuses within military units, each new sanction reinforces the perception that the state prioritizes discipline and control over individual guarantees and the security of families.
Filed under: