Young Men Assaulted by Military on Santiago de Cuba Streets: What We Know So Far

Two brothers, Dariel Agustín Pérez Gainza and Deinier Pérez Gainza, faced a violent confrontation and subsequent arrest on Thursday by officers from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) near the Criminal Operations Unit in the Versalles area of Santiago de Cuba. The incident escalated from an attempt to stop the brothers from recording with a mobile phone, leading to serious charges of "Assault and Aggression" against a Lieutenant Colonel.

This alarming development was brought to light by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta, who has been actively updating the public on the situation. According to witness accounts gathered by Mayeta, the altercation began around 6:30 p.m. when an officer tried to seize the phone from the young men, who were filming and discussing public transportation issues. "The officer began to beat him excessively," recounted an eyewitness, noting that other military personnel quickly joined in the attack. "The young men defended themselves from the blows and retaliated against many of the punches and kicks."

One of these videos was sent to the journalist's page. Mayeta warned that the brothers were forcibly taken to a police station, and their health condition remains uncertain. "We cannot rule out that they might be tortured or end up in serious health conditions," he cautioned.

Community Outcry: Who Are the Pérez Gainza Brothers?

The Pérez Gainza brothers are described by friends and neighbors as exemplary citizens. Dariel Agustín was a firefighter for years, while Deinier currently works for the Santiago de Cuba Electric Company. According to testimonies gathered by Mayeta, both are regarded as "good men, hardworking, and non-violent." Their acquaintances express outrage over the incident: "It’s an injustice what was done to them, especially when criminals roam freely without being assaulted or detained."

The family, waiting outside the operations unit, has not been allowed to see the detainees. A testimony collected by Mayeta encapsulates the anxiety of the moment: "They claim they were just restraining him and not beating him as seen in the video. Yet, they are covered in bruises, and we are not permitted to see them."

Demanding Accountability from Authorities

From his reports, Yosmany Mayeta has called for immediate intervention from provincial authorities, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia and Manuel Falcón Hernández, demanding transparency and justice. "Even if their uniforms show they have the highest authority militarily, they should not escape accountability when they were the ones who attacked two unarmed men first," the journalist argued.

Mayeta has also urged the community to publicly support the brothers and the workplaces of the brothers to promptly speak out against this violent act, which many view as arbitrary and abusive.