Pavel Alling Peña, originally from Camagüey, a graduate in Art History and a literature teacher, is one of the four deceased in the boat incursion that took place off the coast of Villa Clara, according to the list released this Thursday by the Cuban regime.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the four deceased following the maritime confrontation with Cuban forces, an incident that Havana described as an attempt at armed infiltration from the United States.
Among the confirmed names is that of Alling Peña, who was also building a career as a writer and had received awards in the genres of poetry and narrative.
In a video previously posted on his Instagram profile, the intellectual expressed his personal stance on annexationism and defended national sovereignty as an essential value.
"I am going to give my opinion on annexationism, and this is my personal opinion," he clarified at the beginning of his emotional speech, which now, following his death, carries even greater weight.
"There, where comfort is promised in exchange for renunciation, there is a path that disguises itself as salvation," he expressed.
In his reflection, he stated that the annexation is "surrender disguised as pragmatism" and argued that changing national essence for material benefits entails a profound loss of identity.
"Cuba is not just a territory on the map. It is a collective heartbeat woven with the sweat of mambises who chose the machete in hand over submission," he said in the video.
He also quoted Marti's thought, recalling that "being educated is the only way to be free."
In his message, he defended national symbols, cultural identity, and the right of Cubans to build their own destiny without external oversight.
"Freedom is not about changing masters; it's about learning to walk on your own legs, even if the path is full of thorns," he affirmed.
The writer firmly rejected annexation as a political alternative. "I do not want annexation and I will not discuss it with anyone," he stated, adding that he would not trade "sovereignty for annexationism."
Alling Peña also stated that Cuba "has never truly been free" and that the country is "on the verge of being so with our own hands," a statement that he framed as a call to preserve national identity and to achieve freedom without external concessions.
His name is now listed among the four deceased officially identified following the maritime incident, amid an investigation that, according to authorities, is still ongoing and whose details remain preliminary.
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