Yasmina Ruano González, 32 years old, was murdered on Monday, November 9, in her home in the 26 de Julio neighborhood, known as Francoy, in Nueva Gerona, Isle of Youth, allegedly at the hands of her partner and in the presence of one of her children, a boy between six and eight years old.
The crime was verified by the Gender Observatory of Alas Tensas (OGAT) and raises the total to 63 documented femicides in Cuba during 2026.
According to information corroborated by OGAT with community sources, the police arrested the man identified as the alleged attacker on the same day as the murder.
The child who witnessed the crime is in a situation of particular vulnerability, as his father lives outside of Cuba. Yasmina also leaves behind a daughter whose age is unknown.
OGAT warned that the minor needs specialized, timely, and ongoing psychological attention, as well as a safe environment that ensures their protection and support.
At least 40 minors affected by femicides in eight months
The impact of these crimes on children is one of the aspects documented by the OGAT report for January-August 2026.
Of the 49 women who were victims of femicide during that period, 26 had minors in their care, accounting for 53.1%. The Observatory identified at least 40 girls, boys, and adolescents who relied on them.
Of those 26 women, 23 were killed by their partners or ex-partners, which accounts for 88.5%. These crimes can leave children without their primary caregiver and, in some cases, also without their father if he is arrested or imprisoned.
Two femicides on consecutive days
The murder of Yasmina occurred one day after the femicide of Juana María "Mayi" Guzmán Torres, a 54-year-old early childhood educator killed in Manzanillo, Granma, allegedly by her ex-partner.
According to the OGAT records updated on November 10, Cuba has reported a total of 63 feminicides, 38 attempted feminicides, and two murders of men in the context of gender-based violence this year.
The number of verified femicides in 2026 exceeds the 56 documented throughout 2024 and the 50 recorded in 2025.
This is also the second verified femicide in Nueva Gerona this year. In July, Kirenia López Mendoza, 43 years old, was found dead in her home in the Pueblo Nuevo neighborhood of that same city.
Most of the documented femicides occurred in homes
The OGAT report for January-August 2026 reveals that 32 out of the 49 verified femicides occurred in homes, representing 65.3%.
In 12 cases, there were prior reports against the aggressor, while in another 28, it was not possible to determine whether the victims had previously sought help from the authorities.
The Observatory warns about the lack of a national network of shelters for at-risk women and their children in Cuba. The country also does not have a comprehensive law against gender-based violence nor does it recognize femicide as an autonomous crime in the Penal Code.
Economic difficulties in leaving a home and the lack of safe housing alternatives can worsen women's exposure to situations of violence, especially when they are economically dependent on their aggressors.
OGAT demands mechanisms for early risk assessment, effective protection in response to reports, and monitoring of threatened women, as well as psychological assistance and support for the victims' children.
Another 11 possible femicides under investigation
In addition to the 63 verified femicides, OGAT is investigating another 11 possible femicides and 18 attempts reported during 2026.
The Observatory also requests access to the investigation reports on the cases of Anais Tamayo Puente, Danaibis Tamayo Ramírez, and Odalis Brizuela Zayas, while it continues to monitor the case of Bárbara Sánchez González as a possible femicide suicide.
The OGAT records represent a minimum of verified cases and do not necessarily reflect the totality of the crimes that have occurred in Cuba. The organization notes that limitations on access to police and judicial information hinder independent documentation of these events.
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