Cuban citizen José Bravo Navarro, aged 33, passed away on Wednesday, November 19, at Ambrosio Grillo Hospital, merely two days following his release on what the regime terms "extrapenal freedom." Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who documented this case in Santiago de Cuba, reported the incident on social media.
Residing in the La Patera area of the Boniato district, Bravo Navarro arrived at the hospital in a severely deteriorated physical state after months of imprisonment at Marverde and Boniato prisons. His family claims he was denied proper medical care despite the clear progression of several illnesses.
A Gradual Decline Ignored by Authorities
According to Mayeta's report, José began experiencing rapid weight loss, frequent diarrhea, dehydration, and exhaustion while incarcerated at Marverde. His condition worsened at Boniato prison, where a hospital ward exists, as he showed symptoms of tuberculosis, kidney issues, and possible heart problems.
Despite these alarming signs, medical attention was reportedly insufficient or delayed. Only when his health became critical was he transferred to Ambrosio Grillo Hospital, where doctors confirmed the severity of his condition. It was at this point that prison authorities decided to grant him extrapenal freedom.
Mayeta emphasizes that this release came "when he could no longer breathe on his own."
Released but Too Late
Bravo Navarro died in the hospital's prisoner ward, and just hours later, his body was moved to the Santiago de Cuba funeral home, where he was to be buried on Thursday.
His case highlights a pattern repeatedly denounced by activists and prisoners' families in Cuba: the release of gravely ill inmates when their condition is irreversible, seemingly to prevent deaths from occurring formally under state custody.
Family Accuses Authorities of Negligence
José's family, as reported by Mayeta, believes he could have been saved had he received timely medical attention while incarcerated. They assert that they repeatedly sought help, but their pleas were ignored.
Now, they question: Why were the symptoms not addressed sooner? Was there any genuine medical follow-up? Did he have to wait until he was at death’s door to be released? For them, the answer is clear: the state acted too late.
A Reflection of Cuba's Health and Prison Crisis
Bravo Navarro's death occurs amidst the worst health crisis Cuba has faced in decades, characterized by widespread dengue and chikungunya outbreaks, poorly stocked hospitals, shortages of antibiotics and diagnostics, systemic failures in the prison system, and growing institutional neglect visible each day.
Mayeta points out that José's story is not an isolated one but rather indicative of a growing trend of inmates whose health deteriorates without receiving adequate care.
The reporter's accusation is stark: “José Bravo Navarro did not die in prison... but prison left him lifeless.”
His name joins a growing list of Cubans who perish when the state intervenes too late. As a family mourns and demands answers in La Patera, the institutional silence prevails, leaving a painful message: when prisons, hospitals, and the state fail, the right to live is always the last to arrive.
Questions Surrounding the Case of José Bravo Navarro
What conditions did José Bravo Navarro suffer from while in prison?
José Bravo Navarro suffered from rapid weight loss, frequent diarrhea, dehydration, exhaustion, tuberculosis symptoms, kidney issues, and possible heart problems during his time in prison.
Why was José Bravo Navarro released from prison?
He was released on what is termed "extrapenal freedom" by the regime, but only when his health had critically declined, and he could no longer breathe independently.
What does the case of José Bravo Navarro reveal about the Cuban prison system?
The case underscores a troubling pattern of neglect within the Cuban prison system, where gravely ill inmates are released only when their condition is beyond recovery, possibly to avoid deaths officially occurring in state custody.