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A retired journalist from Radio Guamá, the provincial radio station of Pinar del Río, publicly reported the theft of a marble planter from the family vault in the cemetery of Alameda, known as the "old cemetery" of the provincial capital of Pinar del Río.
José S. Morejón Morejón, known as Pepe Morejón, reported that his nieces discovered the theft this Sunday, Mother's Day, while visiting the grave of their father, Ramón Morejón Cabrera, who passed away in 2012.
"They discovered that my dad's planter, Ramón Morejón Cabrera, was stolen. They searched the nearby vaults, but the result was negative. It did not turn up," Morejón wrote in his post.
In addition to the gray marble planter, the thieves also tore a metal crucifix from the grave of her sister María Fortunata Morejón Cabrera.
"To my sister's gardener, her mother, on January 21, 2025, they cannibalized a cheap metal crucifix that only had sentimental value," she detailed.
The family vault is located in zone E of the cemetery, deeper within the grounds and far from the entrance, which, according to the complainant, indicates that those responsible are familiar with the area.
"The presence of the crucifix in the planter of my late sister in that place could only be known by those who linger inside, who are almost always the same," he pointed out.
Her niece Amarilys Jiménez Morejón went to the cemetery's management office to report the theft, where she was attended by María Luisa Páez Valdés, a 47-year veteran in the Public Services sector.
This official informed him that there is currently no permanent manager: the previous one, known as "Belén la jimagua," recently retired, and several officials are rotating to cover the office.
Morejón emphasized that during the 14 years when Belén was in charge, from 2012 to 2026, not a single incident was recorded.
"There was never a loss or mistreatment, not even a scratch of paint. The jimagua had complete control over its workers, who followed their guidance, and everyone took care of the facility," he recalled.
For the complainant, the absence of a stable administrator opened the door to looting: "Apparently, the nightmare begins now, the trend of illness seen in other cemeteries."
Without directly accusing the current workers, Morejón pointed to individuals who frequent the facility daily, offering painting, repair, and construction material services.
He indicated that the marble planter was stolen "for its commercialization and removal process."
The case of the Pinar cemetery is part of a national pattern of looting in Cuban cemeteries documented in multiple provinces.
In February of this year, the municipal cemetery of Mayabe, in Holguín, was reported to be in a state of total desecration, with broken niches and exposed skeletal remains.
In December 2024, the cemetery in Camagüey reported ten looted graves and missing skulls, while in January of this year, the family of the musician Paulito FG reported vandalism at his tomb in the Colón Cemetery in Havana.
ICLEP had documented prior looting incidents in the Pinar del Río cemetery itself since at least 2021, in the 234th edition of its publication Panorama Pinareño.
Morejón formally directed his complaint to the municipal and provincial Community Services of Pinar del Río, and called on other family members to check the condition of the graves of their loved ones.
"How is it possible that there are unscrupulous people who appropriate and profit from something where the mute witness is the remains of a corpse?" she asked.
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