The human rights organization Cubalex reported the death under state custody of Yales Mir Rodríguez Machado, a 52-year-old inmate from Jobabo, in Las Tunas, who passed away on October 11 at the Tunas 2 prison camp, following a progressive decline in his health attributed to severe malnutrition and lack of medical attention.
According to the organization, the man died after prison authorities ignored repeated warnings about his physical condition, in a case that adds to the reports of hunger and medical neglect in Cuban prisons.
A call that was a goodbye
Two days before dying, Yales Mir managed to communicate by phone with an aunt to tell her that he was starving and feared dying from lack of food. During the conversation, he asked her to come visit him, aware of the severe deterioration he was experiencing.
“This call highlights the seriousness of his situation and the neglect he faced from the prison authorities,” stated Cubalex.
According to Cubalex, other inmates repeatedly alerted the prison authorities about Yales Mir's severe physical deterioration, but the authorities did not take any measures to address it before his death.
From the El Típico prison to the Tunas 2 camp
Yales Mir was serving his sentence at the Provincial Prison of Las Tunas, known as El Típico, from which he was urgently transferred to the Tunas 2 camp, an open regime facility located next to the prison, just a few days before his death.
Cubalex claims that during his confinement, he suffered a progressive decline due to inadequate nutrition, without receiving any medical response that could reverse his situation.
After confirming his death, the corpse was transported in an ox cart to the headquarters of El Típico.
There, according to the report received by the organization, someone stated: “This one died of hunger down there.”
For Cubalex, the transfer of the body under those conditions was an undignified treatment that exacerbates the authorities' responsibility, especially since they had received warnings about the deceased's health condition.
The organization called for clarification of the circumstances surrounding the death, to determine the corresponding responsibilities, and to adopt measures to prevent similar cases from happening again.
Other recent deaths in the same prison
The death of Yales Mir adds to other cases reported this year in the prison system of Las Tunas.
In August, Yoandry Cutiño Oliva, 34 years old, who weighed only 32 kilograms and was 1.78 meters tall, passed away in El Típico, in another case attributed to extreme malnutrition.
In September, the political prisoner Florentino Morono Torres suffered a heart attack in his cell and died two days later, reportedly without receiving timely medical attention.
According to the collected reports, with the passing of Yales Mir, the number of reported deaths related to El Típico and its surrounding facilities has risen to at least five in 2026.
Malnutrition and medical negligence in Cuban prisons
The case occurs amid a pattern of deaths in custody documented by Cubalex. The organization reported 12 deaths in September, the highest monthly figure for 2026, raising the total to 49 reported prison deaths for the year.
In a report covering the period from February 2024 to June 2026, Cubalex documented 115 deaths linked to penal institutions.
Of these, at least 80, almost 70%, were associated with negligence or denial of medical care, while 21 were directly attributed to severe malnutrition or starvation.
The report describes cases of inmates suffering from extreme malnutrition, untreated illnesses, and prolonged delays in healthcare access.
It also notes the existence of detachments for "malnourished" or "underweight" prisoners in the Boniato prison in Santiago de Cuba, where several deaths were recorded.
According to Cubalex, these deaths cannot be explained solely by the individual actions of officials, but rather reflect structural deficiencies in food, medical services, and the protection of individuals deprived of their liberty.
The responsibility of the Cuban state
Cubalex recalled that the United Nations Mandela Rules require the provision of adequate food, potable water, and timely medical care for all incarcerated individuals.
The organization called for independent investigations, external oversight of prisons, and urgent measures to prevent malnutrition, ensuring that the food supply for inmates does not rely on their family's resources.
"The lack of transparency and accountability fosters impunity and deprives families of their right to truth, justice, and redress," warned Cubalex.
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