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Argelio García, 59 years old and known in his community as "Yeli," was found dead in the city of Cárdenas, Matanzas, after receiving three stab wounds inside his own home this Tuesday, according to sources close to the victim.
The crime occurred in the Caridad and Salud area, where "Yeli" resided, and after the discovery, her body was taken to Legal Medicine.
The news was shared by content creator Christian Arboláez in the group "Cardenenses on Facebook," who added that people close to the case claimed that the alleged perpetrator has already been arrested.
As of the time of publishing this note, the authorities have not provided official information regarding the crime or the arrest of suspects.
The event immediately generated a wave of condolences and messages of outrage and alarm over the murder. Neighbors and friends described "Yeli" as a beloved person in the neighborhood.
"Two days ago, we were sharing stories about him and laughing over many anecdotes, you didn’t deserve to die like this," wrote one of his close friends in the post.
Other comments pointed directly to the inaction of the authorities. "Cárdenas is a hell right now and apparently no one cares," noted one user, while a man warned, "There isn't a day in the city without incidents of violence and bloodshed; how long will the authorities continue with this passivity?"
Criticism of the local police was frequent. "The police are only there to repress; civic tranquility doesn't concern them," stated a woman, while another person was more direct: "There is no law in Cárdenas. Those who are supposed to ensure its enforcement have deaf ears."
The murder of Argelio García adds to an alarming chain of homicides that has shaken Cárdenas since last year. In October 2025, Carlos Laferte, the owner of a café on Calvo Avenue and 28, was killed by an 18-year-old. A month later, the bartender was stabbed to death in the same city.
As of May 2026, another crime has already been reported in Cárdenas before that of "Yeli": a young worker was stabbed to death in Camarioca during a robbery. Meanwhile, in the municipality of Matanzas, the security chief of a camping site was found dead, showing signs of extreme violence.
Cuba is experiencing an unprecedented public security crisis, as the police are notably absent in the face of crime and instead deploy their forces against dissent, leaving the population defenseless amid a rising wave of crime that continues to grow.
In Matanzas, there were 503 reported thefts in the first half of 2025, the highest figure in the country, according to data from the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC).
A report from this independent organization documented 2,833 crimes committed in Cuba in 2025, an increase of 115% compared to 2024 and 337% compared to 2023, with an average of seven or eight crimes per day. The regime continues to withhold official crime statistics and focuses its resources on political repression.
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