Nelson Ramón Paneque Aguilar, a 29-year-old Cuban originally from Guisa in Granma province, has been missing for seven months in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The case has gained renewed urgency as unverified reports on social media have alleged his death.
Cuban journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada cautioned on Facebook this Wednesday that these claims lack evidence. "In recent hours, several posts have declared Nelson Paneque Aguilar, a young Cuban missing in Mexico since late last year, to be dead. However, as of today, there is no official confirmation or conclusive evidence to support claims of his murder," he stated.
According to Mayeta Labrada, the only "evidence" is a woman's testimony alleging to have seen a video—supposedly held by Nelson's former boss—showing the moment of his death. However, the video has never been made public. "There is no video. No material evidence. No body. No DNA. No official confirmation," Mayeta emphasized.
Nelson disappeared on October 4, 2025. According to his mother, Iriannis Aguilar, Nelson went out with his boss that Saturday and later, during the early hours of Sunday, visited Mamitas bar, a well-known nightclub in Puerto Vallarta, with a coworker. Since then, there has been no trace of him.
The Ongoing Search for Nelson
Unable to travel to Mexico, Iriannis remains in Cuba and does not confirm her son's death, insisting that only rumors exist. Since October 2025, she has been persistently searching through social media, posting in groups such as "Missing Persons in All of Mexico and Central America." "I've requested help from the National Prosecutor's Office and the search personnel, yet I haven't received any answers," she wrote in October 2025.
The Jalisco State Missing Persons Commission issued an official notice a week after his disappearance on October 11, 2025, detailing the young man's physical characteristics: 170 cm tall, fair skin, straight black hair, slender build, and multiple tattoos on his arms, legs, and chest. Anyone with information can call 33 3145 6314 or email comisiondebusqueda@jalisco.gob.mx.
The Wider Crisis of Missing Cubans
Mayeta Labrada suggested that Nelson's former boss—allegedly the owner of several businesses in Puerto Vallarta—might hold crucial information about Nelson's last known movements, though he refrained from naming him.
This case is part of a broader crisis involving missing Cubans in Mexico, where Jalisco reported over 16,000 missing persons as of March 31, 2026, including at least 131 foreigners.
Puerto Vallarta is known to be under the influence of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, with what El País describes as a "disappearance corridor" linking the coast to other state regions.
Other missing Cubans in Mexico face similarly uncertain fates, often lacking proper documentation, with their families stranded in Cuba, unable to search for them. The plight of a Cuban mother searching for her missing son in Mexico echoes a tragically common pattern.
Mayeta Labrada concluded his post with a poignant statement that captures the sentiment of Iriannis Aguilar and countless other Cuban families: "A mother doesn't need rumors. She needs answers."
Addressing the Disappearance Crisis of Cubans in Mexico
What are the challenges in finding missing Cubans in Mexico?
Many missing Cubans lack proper documentation, which complicates the search efforts. Additionally, families in Cuba are often unable to travel to Mexico to aid in the search, further hindering progress.
How does the Jalisco New Generation Cartel impact the situation?
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel exerts significant influence in regions like Puerto Vallarta, creating corridors where disappearances are more frequent, complicating efforts to locate missing persons.