A woman identified as Nilda Díaz Santana, 58 years old, died on October 2 in her home in the rural neighborhood of Merceditas, in Cárdenas, Matanzas, while trying to protect her daughter from an attack by her ex-partner, as confirmed by the Gender Observatory of Alas Tensas (OGAT).
The independent organization that documents gender-based violence in Cuba recorded Nilda's death as the 57th femicide registered in the country in 2026.
According to OGAT, the alleged assailant, the ex-partner of Nilda's daughter and with a history of violence against her, broke into the family home armed with the intent to attack her.
The information was gathered by the observatory from family and community sources.
No official information regarding a police or judicial investigation into the case has been released so far that would allow for a comparison of all the details known through these sources.
OGAT reported that Nilda died in her home while protecting her daughter during the attack. The young woman was injured, and OGAT indicated that other family members were also affected by the attack.
OGAT pointed out only that the alleged attacker turned himself in to the police on the same day as the attack. Another version, later reported by the communicator Christian Arbolaez, claims that he was located by his son, who handed him over to the authorities.
OGAT expressed its condolences to the family and wished for a swift recovery for Nilda's daughter, as well as for the other affected family members.
The case had previously been reported by communicator Christian Arbolaez on his Facebook profile, who also stated that Nilda intervened when she saw her daughter in danger.
Arbolaez provided a more detailed account of what happened after the attack. According to his report, during the initial hours, the whereabouts of the alleged perpetrator were unknown, and he was later located on a farm by his own son, who handed him over to the authorities.
"Then came the uncertainty. During the first few hours, the alleged perpetrator was on the run. Later, it was revealed that his own son managed to find him on a farm and subsequently turned him over to the authorities, putting an end to the hours of uncertainty about his whereabouts," Arbolaez recounted.
This version regarding the circumstances in which he was located and handed over does not come from an official source and has not been independently verified. OGAT merely stated that the alleged aggressor surrendered to the police that same day.
Relatives mourn the death of Nilda
Nilda's death provoked numerous reactions of grief and outrage on social media. Several individuals who identified themselves as family or close friends of the victim emphasized her role as a mother and grandmother.
The use of a firearm during the attack raised questions among those who reacted to the news.
"Where are the firearms coming from? It's becoming very common to take another person's life," questioned one person.
"Another one with a firearm. How does that make sense?" asked another.
The reactions reflected concern over the presence of firearms in violent incidents in Cuba.
Cuba records 57 documented femicides in 2026
With the case of Nilda Díaz Santana, OGAT recorded 57 femicides in Cuba by October 5, 2026.
The observatory also recorded 27 attempts of feminicide and two murders of men in contexts of feminicide-related violence.
The figure had previously risen to 56 following the confirmation of the femicide of Idania Castillo Sacre in Artemisa, allegedly killed by her ex-partner, a man who had already been sentenced for the murder of another woman in 2010.
OGAT is also investigating other cases and has requested access to official information to clarify several deaths and assaults that could be added to its records.
Specifically, the observatory requested access to the investigation reports for the cases of Anais Tamayo Puente and Ana Vivian Suárez Cruz. Additionally, it noted that it considers the case of Bárbara Sánchez González as a potential feminicide suicide.
In addition, OGAT reported that it is investigating 12 potential feminicides, five attempts, and one murder of a man in the context of feminicide-related violence reported in 2025, as well as 11 possible feminicides and 11 attempts reported during 2026.
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