Desperate Plea from Mother of Missing Cuban Woman in Havana: "Overwhelming Anguish"

Maura Vázquez, the mother of Doraiky Águila Vázquez who has been missing since March 15 in Havana, has released a heart-wrenching message expressing her deep sorrow and anxiety. "Sharing, checking the phone—it has become part of my life, accompanied by pain and overwhelming anguish, seeking help so that everyone searches for my beloved Doraiky Águila, and hoping for news of where she might be seen. Seeing my dear daughter only in photos brings endless tears, but I ask God, the universe, for everyone to share, post, look everywhere, call us, stop her," begins this distressed mother.

Maura expressed gratitude for the support and well-wishes from a community that "is now demanding greater action to find Doraiky." She recounted an encounter with a young woman who was once Doraiky's student. "She embraced me, speaking calmly yet sorrowfully, and said, 'I was your daughter's student. She taught me a lot about law, helped me in many areas of life, and with all sincerity, I can say that the law she taught and the values she always embodied as a human are not being applied to her case.'"

The young woman mentioned that Doraiky was well-respected for being "very observant. Once, she noticed a student couldn't go home due to lack of money, so she immediately bought her a ticket and shared her household soap with students from the provinces." The young woman urged, "Mother, proclaim loudly that Doraiky deserves the best techniques and professionals, and that the country's leadership should be informed and involved."

This encounter ended with a shared embrace and tears. "I couldn't bear it anymore due to the uncertainty, sadness, and helplessness, seeing months pass without a single update from authorities," Maura recounted.

Government Negligence

Last month, Vázquez made a forceful and emotional plea on social media, directly blaming the Cuban government for the lack of progress in the search. "I can't bear to think or believe that my daughter Doraiky Águila has been absent from her home for three months and nine days. It's excruciatingly painful to know she's exposed to aggression, high biological risks, dehydration, lack of nutrients, water, medical help, and much more," she said.

Maura, visibly affected by distress and the absence of responses, also highlighted the psychological impact her daughter's disappearance has had on her two grandchildren, aged 14 and 15, and the rest of the family "who are constantly searching for her." In her message, Maura moved beyond pleas, adopting a firm tone: "My stance is critical; it's about stating the truth so that real actions can be taken. I no longer ask, beg, or plead. I hold the Cuban government accountable for the search process," she emphasized.

The elderly woman criticized the lack of mobilization of human and logistical resources that the state could deploy to expedite the search for missing persons. She asserted that there are available forces—such as students from the Ministry of the Interior, military schools, the Navy, the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution, and even political schools—that could be utilized without disrupting institutional structures.

An Unresolved Case

Doraiky Águila vanished during a citywide blackout in Havana on March 15. Her family notes that she suffers from episodes of transient memory loss, which may have led to her disorientation. She is not known to be aggressive and had shown signs of mental confusion in the days leading up to her disappearance.

Due to the lack of progress, her family has offered a reward of 350,000 CUP for any truthful information about her whereabouts. Yet, the authorities have not provided official updates, and the case remains unsolved. Doraiky's plight is among several reported disappearances in Cuba, which have sparked growing public concern over the apparent absence of effective institutional mechanisms to address such emergencies.

Meanwhile, Maura Vázquez continues her determined fight, supported by compassionate citizens who have joined the call to bring visibility to Doraiky's disappearance and demand immediate action.