The woman who was tragically stabbed to death by her partner in Santiago de Cuba this past Tuesday has been identified as Zoraida Milagros Romero Castillo. She was reported to be between 32 and 35 years old, according to journalist Yosmany Mayeta, who gathered this information from neighbors and former coworkers.
"She studied alongside me and worked at the Micro 2 semiboarding school. This year, she was employed at the local daycare center. We are all heartbroken because she was a kind-hearted young woman who took great care of her daughter and her ill mother," shared a teacher who chose to remain anonymous.
Another neighbor recounted the harrowing event: "Her daughter saw everything. It broke our hearts to hear her call out to her mother as she lay there covered in blood. Her mother's condition was also severe. The screams still echo in my mind," she expressed to the source.
Community Response and Details of the Incident
Those who witnessed the attack urged the journalist to highlight the efforts of anonymous young individuals who transported the severely injured victim to the local clinic using their own vehicle. Images taken inside the car reveal the extent of the blood loss suffered by the victim, who sustained injuries to several parts of her body.
The identity of the assailant remains undisclosed, but it is known he is an ex-convict who has since been apprehended. Initially, reports stated that the victim lived in Building F10 in the José Martí District and was first attacked at her home in front of her young daughter and sick mother, before being fatally harmed at the hospital.
Public Outcry and Systemic Challenges
Close associates mentioned that Zoraida had recently started a relationship with the attacker, who had been released from prison not long before the incident. The tragic event has sparked widespread calls for exemplary judicial action and an end to the impunity often granted to perpetrators of such crimes. Many believe the Cuban justice system has been overly lenient in similar cases, allowing repeat offenders to reintegrate into society without adequate supervision.
As of the article's publication, feminist organizations have yet to comment on this latest femicide, which marks the 12th such case this year. This follows a similar incident on April 12, when a 35-year-old teacher and mother of two, Nancy Leyva García, was murdered by her partner in public in the Las Delicias community of Puerto Padre, Las Tunas. That incident also deeply affected neighbors, colleagues, and women's rights advocates.
According to OGAT and Yo Sí Te Creo en Cuba (YSTCC), at least 11 femicides had been confirmed by April 14.
Understanding the Issue of Femicide in Cuba
What is the current status of the investigation into Zoraida Romero's murder?
The suspect, an ex-convict, has been apprehended, but further details about the investigation have not been publicly disclosed.
How are local communities in Cuba responding to femicides?
Local communities, along with women's rights activists, are demanding stricter judicial measures and greater accountability for perpetrators of femicide.
How many femicides have been reported in Cuba this year?
As of now, there have been 12 confirmed cases of femicide in Cuba this year.