They improvise an altar in a street in Havana to pay tribute to a murdered young man

A wall with photos, messages, flowers and candles draws attention this Friday on San Lázaro street, between Marina and Soledad, in the Havana neighborhood of Cayo Hueso. The improvised altar is dedicated to the young Malcolm Álvarez Espinosa, alias markito, stabbed to death at the very door of his house last Wednesday night.

According to the residents of that area of ​​Central Havana, the homicide was a “settling of scores.” “There was a previous discussion and then he was stabbed,” says a resident of the street who prefers anonymity. The victim’s friends lament her death on social networks and do not hesitate to give the nicknames of the two alleged murderers, who, according to a source close to the victim, were arrested by the police a few hours later.

Malcolm’s violent death has surprised his many friends, whose messages seem to indicate his membership in the durakos or duräkitosa peaceful urban tribe that gathers in teams (groups), dresses in a peculiar way, dances to the rhythm of reggaeton and has a strong presence on social networks. They consume more gigabytes than drugs.

“We feel a lot of consternation,” another neighbor who stopped at the wall to leave his tribute told this newspaper.

“I will miss you”, “I will always keep you in mind”, “sorry for my selfishness, but knowing that you are with God, I prefer that you be with us”, were some of the words painted around various images of Malcolm, taken at different ages. The young man was 24 years old.

The press has not echoed this murder, but the messages have multiplied on social networks.

The warmth of all of them show that he was an appreciated boy in the neighborhood. His mother, Catalina Espinosa, is a worker at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Surgical Clinical Hospital, and on her Facebook wall dozens of friends left numerous condolences for the young man’s death.

“We feel a lot of consternation,” another neighbor who stopped at the wall to leave his tribute told this newspaper.

“A mother suffering, friends wondering what happened, how it happened, who caused it, but that’s no use anymore, my soul brother,” the user writes on Facebook. Jalapeno Bullwho addresses “those who caused it”: “Karma exists and they can run but not hide. They are going to die with a guilt inside that is not going to let them live”, because, he argues, “they killed a young boy who He didn’t mess with anyone and he didn’t owe anyone anything.”

Despite the fact that the Government recently declared that the wave of violent events reported in networks and independent media are “fake news”, violence is increasing. When it comes to aggressions between young people, many of them belonging to gangs, Havana has seen them grow as well in recent years.

________________________

Collaborate with our work:

The team of 14ymedio is committed to doing serious journalism that reflects the reality of deep Cuba. Thank you for joining us on this long road. We invite you to continue supporting us, but this time becoming a member of our newspaper. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.