Maykel Ricardo Díaz Lorenzo, 49 years old, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in his home in the El Cerro municipality in Havana, in what appears to be a fatal robbery.
The news was reported this Saturday by Univisión journalist Javier Díaz through a post on Facebook, in which he demanded justice and called on the Cuban authorities to capture the perpetrator.
According to Díaz's account, who described Maykel as someone very close to his family, the attackers entered the home to steal and took the victim's cell phone, a chain, and his wallet.
"Maykel was 49 years old, he was a very hardworking and responsible young man. According to what I understand, someone broke into his house," wrote Díaz, who added that "it seems they took his phone, a chain, and his wallet from the house."
The relative also revealed that the victim was in the process of emigrating from the country at the time of their death, a detail that reflects the situation of thousands of Cubans seeking to leave the Island due to the deteriorating living conditions.
Maykel leaves behind a partner, a sister, and nephews grieving. Cuban authorities have not issued any public statement regarding the case, an omission that Javier Díaz himself anticipated with concern: "Hopefully this other murder in Cuba will not go unpunished."
Crime occurs in a context of sustained escalation of violence in Cuba. The Observatorio Cubano de Auditoría Ciudadana (OCAC) recorded 90 murders between January and June 2026, compared to 63 in the same period in 2025, representing an increase of 42.9%. Fatalities due to violence rose from 69 to 102 in that semester, a 47.8% increase.
The organization Cubalex documented 52 homicides in August 2026 alone, the highest monthly figure since it began monitoring in 2024, surpassing the 37 recorded in July.
Theft in homes is a growing phenomenon throughout the country. The OCAC reported 592 thefts in Cuba during the first half of 2026, and cases like Maykel's are occurring with alarming frequency. Earlier this month, a 59-year-old man was reported to have been fatally stabbed in Bayamo, allegedly to steal a motorcycle valued at 150,000 Cuban pesos.
The Cuban government does not publish official crime statistics, which forces reliance on independent organizations to assess the magnitude of the problem. Impunity is a recurring concern among the families of victims, who rarely receive public information about the progress of investigations.
"With deep sorrow and demanding justice, I make this post," wrote Javier Díaz upon announcing Maykel's death. "I feel it is my obligation to ask the Cuban authorities to apprehend the responsible party."
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