MIAMI, United States. – The magazine’s Gender Observatory Tense Wings (OGAT) he regretted this Thursday two new femicides that occurred in Cuba, adding to a total of 53 cases registered by this group and by the independent platform YoSíTeCreo in Cuba.
One of the victims is Yiliannis Bueno Espinosa, 29 years old, murdered on December 11 in the town of El Sur, Tercer Frente, Santiago de Cuba. “She died at the hands of an acquaintance who harassed her, outside her home,” the OGAT reported through its Facebook profile. The young woman leaves two girls orphaned.
The second confirmed case is that of Tania Liset Hidalgo Ávila, 51 years old, who was killed on November 22 in her home, located in Bijarú, Báguanos, Holguín. “She was brutally murdered by a man whom it is confirmed was at least an acquaintance,” specified the OGAT, emphasizing that the violence exerted “exceeds the motivation for the robbery.” The attacker fled, but was later captured, according to the same source.
The OGAT also pointed out that both femicides were made known by the media, citizens and activists, and verified with community sources thanks to the joint work with YoSíTeCreo in Cuba.
The total number of sexist crimes until December 12 amounted to 53 femicides, six attempted femicides, in addition to six cases pending access to police investigations and two murders of men for gender reasons.
Both OGAT and Yo SíTeCreo in Cuba have reiterated the urgency for the Cuban Government to declare a “state of emergency due to gender violence.” Likewise, they have advocated for the implementation of a comprehensive law that effectively combats sexist violence. “It is imperative that concrete measures be taken to protect women and prevent more femicides,” both organizations recently insisted.
In the first half of 2024, both groups verified 28 femicides, which represents a decrease of 43% compared to the same period of the previous year. However, they attributed this reduction primarily to increasing difficulties in confirming information, rather than to an actual decrease in violence.
Femicide is not classified as a specific crime in the Cuban Penal Code. The terms “feminicide” or “sexist crime” rarely appear in state media, which only exceptionally report on this type of violence.
Last August, the Government of Cuba reported that, in trials held in 2023, the courts had identified a total of 110 women over 15 years of age murdered by their partners or ex-partners. A recent report by the Attorney General, Yamila Peña, reveals that 72% of the victims were between 25 and 59 years old, 84% of the aggressors were partners or ex-partners, and 31% had a criminal record for violent acts.
At the end of July, the authorities approved the creation of a national system for the “registration, attention, follow-up and monitoring” of sexist violence in the country. However, feminist organizations consider that these measures are insufficient and demand more forceful actions.
“Without official recognition of the seriousness of the problem and without laws that effectively protect women, femicides will continue to occur,” YoSíTeCreo and OGAT warned.
