Man Found Alive After Over 40 Hours Missing in Zapata Swamp Wilderness

After being missing for more than 40 hours in the dense wilderness of Ciénaga de Zapata, located in Matanzas province, 61-year-old Carlos Santiesteban García has been found alive.

The Municipal Assembly of People's Power in Ciénaga de Zapata confirmed the news through an announcement on their official Facebook page, stating that Santiesteban García was discovered on Thursday at approximately 10:00 a.m. This marked the end of a relentless search effort that lasted through two nights and one day.

According to the statement, "At around 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 11, citizen Carlos Santiesteban García, aged 61, was found alive after suddenly disappearing from his home on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 9, with his whereabouts unknown until now."

He was found in the area of Sopillar, over five kilometers from the town of Pálpite, by local resident Ulises López Martín, who spotted him in his field and promptly alerted the municipal authorities. The report noted that Santiesteban García had wandered in a disoriented state for more than 40 hours, without sleep or food, and was tormented by a relentless mosquito infestation.

Despite experiencing exhaustion and dehydration, his health remains stable, thanks to the swift action of rescue teams and medical services. The search operation was spearheaded by local residents, authorities, Ministry of Interior personnel, and Public Health specialists, who combed through the challenging swamp and forest terrain.

Rosa Amelia Gómez Niebla, the delegate of Circumscription 11, along with Santiesteban García's family members, expressed their gratitude "to everyone who, in one way or another, contributed to the quick and timely rescue of our fellow citizen."

On December 10, the AMPP had issued another social media post regarding Santiesteban García's disappearance, which occurred at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. That initial alert detailed that he was last seen wearing "blue shorts and sneakers, with a gray shirt draped over his shoulders."

"A team of 15 men is continuing the search, still without results, and local Ministry of Interior authorities are already involved in the matter," the note specified, also mentioning the addition of a canine brigade from the municipality of Colón to support the efforts.

Pálpite, where Santiesteban García resides, is part of the Ciénaga de Zapata municipality in Matanzas province. It is situated along the road from Playa Larga to Jagüey Grande, about 5 km north of Playa Larga, and is surrounded by vast swampy regions.

Although Carlos Santiesteban's case ended positively, not all disappearances in Cuba have such fortunate outcomes. Recently, similar incidents have shaken families across various provinces.

In Manzanillo, the elderly Ángel Hung Ramos was found deceased after being missing for ten days. His daughter shared on social media that the man, suffering from dementia and residing in Santiago de Cuba, went missing on November 26, and despite a determined family search, was discovered dead a week later.

The case of young Lali Paola Moliner Bosa, missing since February 2024, remains unresolved. Her mother was found dead a day later in Cojímar. Her grandmother, Beatriz Bosa Alfonso, has recently criticized the "total silence" from authorities and the lack of progress in the investigation.

Previously, the disappearance of nine-year-old Amarilis Muñiz Navarrete in Banes (Holguín) in 1979 continues to symbolize the institutional silence regarding violence against women and girls in Cuba. Her family has never ceased searching for her, but over four decades later, there are still no answers or justice.

These incidents highlight a harsh reality: Cuba lacks official protocols for locating missing persons, leaving families and communities to shoulder the burden of searching for their loved ones, often without meaningful support from the authorities.