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The Cuban Prisons Documentation Center (CDPC) confirmed on Tuesday the death of Anamara Barona Rivero, 33 years old, in the women’s prison of El Guatao, in Havana, under circumstances that family members and activists reject as the official version describes.
The young woman, a resident of the Los Pocitos neighborhood in the Marianao municipality, had been reported deceased by various activists at the end of the previous week, and the CDPC was able to verify the case with local sources.
According to testimonies gathered by activists, the outcome escalated following a family visit, during which a prison official known as a "re-educator" attempted to seize a cell phone from Anamara, leading to a physical altercation between them.
The official was on duty that night and, according to reports circulating in the neighborhood and on social media, she allegedly took the opportunity to "settle scores" with the inmate.
Around four in the morning, Anamara was found dead in her cell.
The official version from the prison indicates a presumed self-inflicted act — that he would have hanged himself with a piece of clothing — but family members and witnesses categorically reject that explanation.
Testimonies from close individuals indicate that the body showed visible signs on the neck and was quickly transferred to forensics without the presence of family members, who were also initially prevented from seeing it.
During the funeral, held at the family's home, special troops, police, and MININT officers were present, according to reports from the journalist known as "Nio Reporting a Crime".
The women's prison in El Guatao has a history of serious complaints. In 2023, relatives raised concerns about the death of a woman identified as "Yessica" under alleged mistreatment at the same penitentiary.
In February 2025, Yoleisy Oviedo Rodríguez, a 44-year-old political prisoner, also died there, sentenced for protesting against the regime.
The deterioration of the Cuban penitentiary system is progressive, according to human rights organizations that document the increase in deaths under custody. Just in recent months, there have been 160 reports of torture in 43 prisons across the country.
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