The Disappearance of Karildi Marín: A Year and a Half of Silence in Cuba

The family of Karildi Caridad Marín, a young Cuban mother from the Párraga neighborhood in Arroyo Naranjo, continues to seek answers nearly 18 months after her mysterious disappearance. The 25-year-old was last seen on December 14, 2023, when she left her home to attend a party in the Cerro municipality of Havana. Since that day, no credible information has emerged about her whereabouts, leaving her family in a state of prolonged distress and without any concrete answers from the authorities.

Leading the search from the beginning has been her brother, Yoandri Marín. He has tirelessly utilized social media, independent media, and the support of feminist organizations to keep the case in the public eye. Yoandri has repeatedly voiced his frustration over the lack of significant progress in the police investigation, citing delays, poor follow-up, and minimal communication from state security forces.

Adding to the family's heartache is the plight of Karildi's young daughter, who recently turned two. The child is growing up without her mother, a fact that was poignantly highlighted in a heartfelt message shared by the family in March to commemorate the little girl’s birthday, lamenting Karildi's absence on such an important day.

The case has gained attention thanks to the efforts of the Alas Tensas Gender Observatory, a feminist organization that issued a #AlertaYeniset to maintain public focus on Karildi's disappearance. The group emphasizes the need for improved state protocols in handling and searching for missing women, a troubling trend on the rise in Cuba, often met with institutional inaction.

Meanwhile, the community has expressed solidarity by sharing information, organizing search efforts, and providing any possible leads to help unravel what transpired. However, as time passes, there is a growing fear that the case will remain unresolved and forgotten.

Karildi's story is not an isolated incident. Her disappearance is part of a disturbing increase in the number of missing women in Cuba, where families and civil society organizations are often left to lead the search efforts alone. In this context, the urgent need for effective and committed public policies becomes increasingly apparent.