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Violence against women and girls in Cuba has claimed two new victims in a crime that has shocked society in recent hours: the double femicide of a mother and her 12-year-old daughter in the municipality of Batabanó, in Mayabeque.
The Alas Tensas Gender Observatory (OGAT) confirmed this Thursday the femicide of Rosalí Peña Hernández, 31 years old, and the child femicide of her daughter Camila Aguilera Peña, which occurred in the early hours of April 22 in their own home, in the Pedroso area.
With these two cases, the number of femicides in the country rose to 19 during 2026, according to the subregistry of OGAT, which also documented two new attempts at femicide.
Verified sources from the independent observatory revealed that Rosalí was killed by her partner, who also took the child's life. The aggressor has been identified on social media as Yohandri.
The man also attacked and seriously injured Rosalí's mother, who came to her daughter's defense, and a neighbor who came to their aid. Both cases represent two new attempts at femicide.
Rosalí's youngest son, seven years old, was in the house but managed to escape. OGAT also confirmed that Camila was not the biological daughter of the attacker.
After the brutal attack, the man surrendered to the police.
So far, neither the authorities nor the state press have provided official information about the violent incident, which came to public attention through complaints from citizens, activists, and influencers on social media, as well as independent media outlets, as often happens when violent events occur in Cuba.
OGAT warned about the current situation in the country, where "violence against women and girls does not stop, claiming more and more innocent lives every day and continues to destroy the family and community fabric."
He emphasized that "the cruelty and brutality of the attack" demonstrate how violence against women and girls not only impacts the direct victims but also causes significant harm to daughters and sons, other family members, close individuals, and entire communities.
The platform also warned that the case confirms the "vulnerability that many women face against violent aggressors and the lack of effective prevention and protection mechanisms" in the country.
According to profiles on social media, such as Nio reporting a crime, the funerals of Rosalí and Camila were held this Thursday, amid the sorrow of family, friends, and neighbors from the Pedroso community.
As of April 23, OGAT's underreporting accounts for 19 verified femicides, 14 attempts, and one male murder for gender-related reasons. Additionally, 11 potential femicides, four attempts, and one male murder for gender-related reasons are being investigated, reported in 2025, along with six potential femicides reported in 2026.
The situation is alarming: 2025 ended with 48 confirmed femicides and in the first quarter of 2026, 13 were documented: six in January, one in February, and six in March.
The Cuban government's response to the rising violence against women is virtually nonexistent. The country lacks a comprehensive law on gender-based violence, and the Penal Code approved in 2022 does not classify femicide as an autonomous crime; there are also no shelters or effective protection protocols for at-risk women and girls.
From OGAT, they reiterate that reporting these crimes is not a crime and call on the public to report cases of violence so that no victim remains invisible.
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