The death of René, affectionately known as "Renecito," a young Cuban who resided in Havana and maintained close ties with Isla de la Juventud, has prompted numerous messages of sorrow among family, friends, and those who knew him since childhood.
The news began to circulate among the Pinera community surrounded by disbelief. Dani Darien Infante initially posted a photograph of the young man in the Facebook group Revolico 39 Isla de la Juventud with a direct request: "People, please confirm if this is true or false."
"If it were true, rest in peace my life, what a deep pain for the whole family and friends. I don't know why so many young people are in this situation; it's sad and painful," she wrote then, when she still wasn't sure about the death.
The doubts began to dissipate as family members and close friends started to confirm the news. The page Carapachibey Pinero, dedicated to content related to Isla de la Juventud, also announced the death.
"Yes, it is true. Sadly, Renecito will not return to Isla de la Juventud with the people who loved and will miss him so much," stated the post, which also mentioned that the young man resided in Havana.
The same photograph began to appear on friends' profiles. One of them recalled that they had known each other since school and that René had come to be “like a brother I never had”. In the comments, expressions of disbelief such as “I still can’t believe it” quickly multiplied, along with dozens of farewell messages.
Hours later, Dani Darien Infante himself, who had initially sought help to confirm the information, published a new message in which he confirmed the death as true.
“Damn, Renesito, my dear, what devastating news, my love, what a deep pain for all the people who cared about you,” she wrote.
"A large number of people from the Island who truly cared for him share in your grief and wish you all the strength in the world. Rest in peace, my dear, may God receive you in the best place, my child," she added in farewell.
The family confirms the death
Among the messages that clarified the doubts was one from Bárbara Reyes, who identified herself as René's cousin and expressed gratitude for the condolences received.
"Thank you all so much for your condolences to our family. We are going through a difficult time. Yes, we lost Renecito, our cousin. Today, his family, both abroad and in Cuba, is very sad about what happened," he wrote.
Another particularly close confirmation appeared when a user insisted that the news was false. Thalia Ramírez then identified herself as the mother of René's daughter and responded: "It's not a lie, I'm the mother of his child, and it's not a lie."
The messages also help to reconstruct the young man's ties to the pinera community. Several people identified him as Arelis's son, while Mary Pérez Aguilera recalled that "Renecito was very well-liked in the neighborhood where he was born and raised" and sent her condolences to Arelis and the rest of the family.
Others close to him recalled their recent encounters with him. Reynol Rodríguez stated, "I can't believe it; just a few days ago, I was talking to him here in Havana, at the corner of my house."
A relative associates death with drugs
The exact circumstances of the death have not been officially clarified. However, Bárbara Reyes attributed what happened to drug or chemical substance use when another user directly asked her what had happened to her cousin.
"The drugs, these chemicals are destroying the youth. Cuba has gone out of control, it's all very serious," he replied.
The family did not specify what substance might have been involved nor indicated that there was a medical report establishing the cause of death.
Other versions have circulated in the comments. One user claimed that René allegedly died from an overdose, while another person stated that he was found "dehydrated." None of these claims have been supported so far by medical or official information.
A testimony published by Solan Tamayo provided additional details about the hours leading up to the death. The woman stated that around 11:00 PM, she saw a young man suffering a seizure just a few blocks from the clinic at Reina and Gervasio, in Havana.
According to his account, several people witnessed the situation but did not intervene because they thought it was something routine. Tamayo said that later, he passed by the polyclinic with his mother and found numerous people gathered there and a person covered. The woman herself acknowledged, however, that she was unable to see the person's face, so her testimony does not allow for an independent confirmation that it was René.
The statements do not fully agree on the fate of the remains. While Carapachibey Pinero indicated that his body would rest in Havana, where he resided, Dani Darien Infante later claimed in the comments that he would be cremated and taken to Isla de la Juventud.
Amidst these still incomplete reports, one thing does appear repeated in nearly all the publications: the impact that Renecito's death has had on those who knew him in Isla de la Juventud. Friends, former classmates, neighbors, and family members have filled social media with photographs and farewell messages for a young man whose death many were initially reluctant to accept.
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