Three Cubans remain in prison for the homicide of a compatriot in Guyana

Three Cuban citizens were remanded in custody this Tuesday in Guyana after being accused of the murder of another compatriot, a case that once again highlights the episodes of violence affecting Cuban migrants in that South American country.

The defendants appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess in the Diamond-Golden Grove Magistrates’ Court, where they face charges for the death of Yudivian Cárdenas Amador Almagro, 20 years old, which occurred on July 22 in Diamond, in the East Bank Demerara area, according to local media.

The accused are Alejandro Igalza Ríos, known as Papote, 26 years old and a barber by profession; Juan Pablo Ferrer Pérez, 29 years old, a construction worker; and Mairely Felicita Medinas Álvarez, 24 years old, also a worker. The three reside in Timehri, a locality in the East Bank Demerara corridor, and were arrested between July 29 and 30 in connection with the crime.

Since it is a crime that will be judged by a higher court, none of the defendants had to plead guilty or not guilty during the hearing. They will remain in preventive detention until their next appearance, scheduled for September 21, 2026.

The case also has a migratory background. Days before the charges were filed, the victim's mother, Yusmila Amador, revealed that her son had left with the intention of reaching Brazil, but since then she had not heard from him again.

Although the authorities have not officially linked the crime to irregular migration, both Diamond and Timehri are part of the East Bank Demerara corridor, an area frequently used by Cuban citizens traveling through Guyana toward the border with Brazil.

Guyana continues to serve as one of the main gateways for Cubans embarking on that migratory route, as it allows entry without a visa for tourism stays. From Georgetown, many travelers proceed overland to Brazil in the hope of continuing their journey to other destinations.

This murder adds to other violent incidents involving Cuban citizens in Guyana over the past few months. In May, Dainier Vegas Infante was shot dead while working in Georgetown. A month later, Dailén Paneque Gómez was found dead in a marshy area of Enmore, in a case where a Guyanese police officer is the primary suspect. In July, another Cuban, Yoel Rodríguez Barrientos, was  after pleading guilty to the murder of his partner and her 11-year-old daughter.

The succession of these cases has increased concerns among the Cuban community residing in or passing through Guyana, a country that has become a common stop for thousands of migrants from the island in recent years.