The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) announced on Saturday the arrest of a suspect in Remedios, believed to be responsible for the death of Captain Leonel Mesa Rodríguez of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR). Captain Mesa Rodríguez was the sector chief of Caibarién. According to the official report, during the arrest, authorities recovered the deceased officer's service pistol, complete with its magazine, and the knife used in the crime.
The MININT stated that the suspect will face legal proceedings "with the severity that revolutionary justice demands, in accordance with the seriousness of the crime." The identity of the alleged perpetrator has not yet been disclosed.
Details of the Investigation
The capture followed investigative efforts initiated "immediately after the incident," as per the official announcement. The lifeless body of Captain Mesa Rodríguez, aged 62, was discovered early Friday morning on a stretch of road between Remedios and Caibarién, in the La Reforma area, where he served as sector chief. The body bore six stab wounds and a gunshot to the head. Found next to him was the official motorcycle he used for his duties.
Funeral Honors
The officer was laid to rest with military honors on Saturday in his hometown of Taguasco, located in Sancti Spíritus. The funeral was attended by family, neighbors, colleagues, and senior officials from the Ministry of the Interior, including the Minister, General of the Army Corps Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas. Also present were the first secretaries of the Party in Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus, Suseli Morfa González (known to the Cuban public as the millionaire psychologist) and Delvy Pérez Martín, respectively.
Ongoing Investigation
The Cuban regime has labeled the incident as a direct attack and confirmed that specialized teams continue to work on the investigation "to fully clarify the matter." Before the official report, local residents and independent media shared consistent accounts of the event. CubaNet reported access to videos showing the officer lying on the road while other officers directed traffic away from the scene. A bus driver reported seeing him hours earlier speaking with someone on the side of the road.
Captain Mesa Rodríguez joined the MININT in January 2004 and served as a public order officer, operational vehicle driver, and sector chief for over a decade, eventually rising to the rank of captain.
Key Questions About the Incident
What developments have been made in the investigation?
The investigation is ongoing, with specialized teams working to fully clarify the case. The suspect has been arrested, and key evidence, including the officer's service pistol and the knife used in the crime, has been recovered.
Who attended Captain Mesa Rodríguez's funeral?
The funeral was attended by family, neighbors, colleagues, and high-ranking officials from the Ministry of the Interior, including the Minister, General Lázaro Alberto Álvarez Casas, as well as the first secretaries of the Party in Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus.