Cuban Man Found Dead by a Roadside in Guyana

The lifeless body of Wilber Fonseca Fonseca, a 53-year-old Cuban national, was discovered on Wednesday morning near the railway embankment in Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, Guyana. This was reported by the local news outlet, News Source Guyana.

An investigation has been launched by the Guyanese police, who believe the death occurred between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.

An autopsy is scheduled to officially determine the cause of death.

Details of the Discovery

The body was found face down on the south side of the embankment, adjacent to a ditch. Investigators cordoned off the area where blood was noticed around his mouth. Fonseca was dressed in black pants and a blue hooded sweatshirt.

A black backpack lay next to him. His driver's license was located about five feet away, and one of his shoes was found over 20 feet from the body. A cell phone was discovered in his pants pocket. Wilber lived in Eccles, on the East Bank of Demerara, and worked night shifts.

Hit-and-Run Suspected

David, known as "el de Kitty" and a prominent figure in the Cuban community in Guyana, confirmed that the family had reached out to him. He was among the first to report the incident.

"Tragically, this morning Wilber Fonseca Fonseca, a hardworking 53-year-old Cuban, was found dead by the roadside. He had been working overnight, and the police are suggesting it was a hit-and-run," he stated in a Facebook video.

Regarding the driver involved, he added, "It's unclear if they offered any help, but in any case, they fled, and his body was discovered this morning."

Crime reporter Niover Licea, from the platform NiO Reporting a Crime, noted that Wilber had likely left work around 2:00 a.m., but clarified that the hit-and-run suspicion "has not been officially confirmed by authorities and remains under investigation."

A Cuban Family in Distress

Wilber Fonseca was originally from Bayamo, Granma Province, and lived in La Hacienda neighborhood, near Santa Isabel.

David "el de Kitty" described the dire situation Wilber's death leaves behind:

"They are left in a practically destitute state. Wilber was the backbone of his family, who he had recently brought here, along with his wife and son."

He added that the family had plans to return to Cuba:

"They were even planning to return to Cuba soon due to a situation involving his elderly mother."

Cuban Community Seeks Support

Following the news, members of the Cuban community in Guyana initiated a campaign to cover funeral expenses. A Cuban woman named Gladys made a public appeal on Facebook:

"I urgently ask all Cubans, both in and outside of Guyana, who wish to help the family of Wilber Fonseca Fonseca, who sadly lost his life early this Wednesday morning, to assist with his cremation expenses."

Gladys summarized the migrant struggle with an emotional statement: "He was one of us, chasing a dream that sometimes turns into a nightmare."

A Pattern of Violent Deaths Among Cubans in Guyana

Wilber Fonseca's death adds to a troubling pattern of violent deaths affecting the Cuban community in Guyana over the past two years.

In May, Dainier Vegas Infante, aged 23, was shot and killed at his workplace in Georgetown.

In December 2025, Ariel Betancourt Ramírez, 48, was fatally stabbed in an apparent robbery.

In August 2025, Pedro Alexander Frometa Slonchak, 34, was shot by a security guard at a supermarket in Georgetown.

Guyana is the only country in the region that does not require visas for Cuban citizens, making it an attractive location for work and a gateway to Brazil.

It is estimated that between 5,000 and 7,000 Cubans currently reside in the country, most employed in the construction sector with temporary 90-day visas.

Just this week, Brazilian authorities rescued 108 Cubans crossing illegally from Guyana into the state of Roraima, marking the largest humanitarian operation in the region on a single day.