Young Cuban Soldier's Death Sparks Demand for Truth

Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada has unveiled new and unsettling information regarding the death of Eldis Leyva Nieves, a 19-year-old who perished during a military training exercise in Guantánamo while fulfilling his mandatory military service.

According to Mayeta Labrada's report, the tragic incident occurred during a rocket exercise at the Maqueisito shooting range in the province of Guantánamo. The detonation of one of the rockets inflicted fatal injuries on the young man, resulting in a “ruptured spine, severe damage to the aorta, and three heart attacks during surgery,” as detailed by the journalist.

Eldis was taken to the Agostinho Neto Hospital, where he passed away at 6:38 p.m. on Friday, December 18. He was set to celebrate his 20th birthday on January 21, as noted by the journalist.

The young man's body was transported overnight from Guantánamo to his hometown of Ocujal del Turquino, located in the municipality of Guamá, Santiago. His wake was described by Mayeta Labrada as being marked by long waits and strict institutional oversight. Initially held for two hours, the wake resumed for another two hours upon his father's arrival from Venezuela.

“The burial took place at the Ocujal del Turquino Cemetery, where a military tribute with honors and the 'Sounding of Taps' was performed,” the journalist reported, sharing images and video footage of the funeral. Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and family members attended the ceremony.

According to Mayeta Labrada, acquaintances of the family felt that the tribute “seemed more like an attempt to close the case and avoid accountability rather than a true act of transparency or justice.” He also mentioned that, unofficially, “a lifelong pension will be granted to the mother as an indemnity, which in practice acts as a 'silence pension.'”

During the incident, Captain Eduardo Maturel García from the Artillery Regiment was also injured. Reports indicate that he remains under medical supervision with less severe injuries.

So far, military authorities have not issued any statements or provided technical details on the cause of the explosion. Mayeta Labrada pointed out that “no official Cuban media has reported on Eldis Leyva Nieves' death, keeping the case shrouded in secrecy, despite it being a death that occurred during state-mandated service.”

The journalist concluded his report with a phrase encapsulating the family's and community's demand: “Silence does not erase the facts. Honors do not replace responsibility. A lost life demands truth.”

Eldis Leyva Nieves, a native of Ocujal del Turquino, was part of the Military Unit 2431 of the Border Brigade in Guantánamo. Initial reports indicated that the rocket he handled exploded mid-air during a military exercise, causing severe injuries to several individuals present. Another soldier, identified as Captain Eduardo Maturel García, was also injured and remained hospitalized in stable condition.

Eldis had recently completed his nursing studies and was a twin. His family and neighbors remember him as a calm and hardworking young man, whose life plans were abruptly halted by the accident.

This case adds to the list of Cuban recruits who have died in recent years while fulfilling their mandatory military service, in situations ranging from accidents to untreated illnesses or alleged abuses in military units.