Rachel García González, a 27-year-old Cuban mother of four girls, was killed on Sunday, September 28, in her home in the municipality of Vertientes, Camagüey. Her partner has been identified as the perpetrator of the crime, as confirmed by the Alas Tensas Gender Observatory (OGAT).
The crime occurred in the La Iglesia neighborhood, in the Los Ángeles community, raising the number of verified femicides in Cuba to 55 during 2026, as of September 30, according to the records of the independent organization.
García González worked as a domestic worker and left behind four school-aged daughters, including two twins.
According to OGAT, none of the minors were the daughters of the man identified as responsible for the crime.
Community members reported to the observatory that the couple had been involved in arguments in the days leading up to the incident. The organization also indicated that the house where the murder took place had been recently built by the man, who was arrested after the events.
"Our condolences go out to her four young daughters who survive her, unrelated to the alleged aggressor, as well as to other family members and close individuals who mourn her premature and preventable loss," expressed OGAT.
Two mothers murdered within just three days of each other
The case of Rachel García occurred just three days after the murder of Diddianys Barreto Palmero, 34 years old, in Ceballos, Ciego de Ávila.
Independent feminist platforms reported that Barreto was allegedly murdered by her former partner, who subsequently took his own life. The victim left behind two young girls.
Among the documented cases in September is that of Yusinay Capetillo Martínez, 41 years old, who was murdered on the 19th in Santos Suárez, Havana, during a power outage. Independent observers attributed the crime to her ex-son-in-law and recorded it as the 53rd verified femicide in Cuba during 2026.
The increase in cases has been particularly marked this year. Cuba reached 50 verified femicides in 2026 during the first days of September.
According to OGAT records, in the first nine months of this year, more than 49 documented femicides have already been recorded, surpassing the total for all of 2025.
In addition to the 55 verified femicides so far in 2026, OGAT reports 27 attempts of femicide and two murders of men in contexts of femicide-related violence.
The organization is also investigating 12 possible femicides and 11 reported attempts from the year that have not yet been verified.
Femicides continue to not be an autonomous crime in Cuba
The Cuban Penal Code of 2022 does not classify femicide as an independent crime, despite demands from activists and independent organizations for it to be specifically recognized in the legislation.
The Cuban government claims that it maintains a "zero tolerance" policy against gender violence. However, independent observers have been demanding greater transparency in the official statistics, effective prevention and protection mechanisms for at-risk women, and comprehensive legislation against gender violence for years.
Due to the difficulties in documenting these cases within the island, OGAT provides an anonymous form to report potential femicides, aimed at gathering information that can later be investigated and verified.
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