Yolexis Virgen Arias Oroceno, a 54-year-old mother and grandmother, tragically passed away in the early hours of July 5 at a hospital in Camagüey. She had been hospitalized since June 29 after being attacked with a knife by her partner in their shared home in the Modelo neighborhood of the city.
The Observatorio de Género de Alas Tensas (OGAT), an independent feminist organization dedicated to tracking gender-based violence in Cuba, confirmed the incident on social media.
According to sources close to OGAT, the alleged perpetrator, who is 27 years old, has been taken into police custody.
At least one of Yolexis's granddaughters witnessed the brutal attack on her grandmother.
The deceased leaves behind two adult daughters and several grandchildren.
This incident raises the number of documented femicides on the island to 39 this year, as of the July 9 report.
OGAT has urged the public not to focus on the age difference between the victim and the assailant as a reason for the crime: "We ask people to stop citing age differences between victim and aggressor as a motive for the femicide and refrain from using this painful story to give lessons on relationships with age gaps."
The alarming figure of 39 femicides in just over six months of 2026 is more than double the 18 cases recorded during the same period in 2025, marking a staggering 112.5% increase.
Yolexis's case follows shortly after the femicide of Dayana Borges, a 26-year-old mother of two, who was killed by her partner on July 1 in Centro Habana, along with two other shocking murders in Sancti Spíritus at the end of June: those of Lidianni Luis González and Zarahelga Pardo López.
In Lidianni's case, OGAT criticized the "negligent behavior of the Police," as the victim had previously reported her aggressor without receiving the necessary protection.
The Cuban government has yet to release any official information regarding Yolexis's case, following a consistent pattern where authorities rarely publish femicide statistics and state media seldom cover such crimes.
Cuba lacks comprehensive legislation against gender-based violence and does not have institutional shelters for women at risk.
The current Penal Code does not recognize femicide as a distinct crime; it is only considered an aggravated form of homicide. In 2022, the National Assembly rejected an amendment to include it.
According to OGAT data, 83.3% of femicides in 2026 have been committed by the victim's partner or ex-partner, and 64.6% involved the use of a knife.
From 2019 to June 2026, Cuba has witnessed 350 femicides documented by independent observatories OGAT and Yo Sí Te Creo in Cuba, the latter of which ceased operations in April 2026 due to resource constraints, leaving OGAT as the sole active observatory on the island.
OGAT is also awaiting information on the case of the teenager Anais Tamayo Puente, seeking access to the investigation report to determine whether her death was a femicide.
Understanding the Femicides Crisis in Cuba
What is the current state of femicide in Cuba?
As of July 2026, there have been 39 documented femicides in Cuba, reflecting a significant increase from previous years, highlighting a growing crisis.
How does Cuba's legal system address femicide?
Cuba's legal system does not classify femicide as a separate crime; it is instead considered an aggravated form of homicide, lacking comprehensive legislation on gender-based violence.
Who is responsible for documenting femicides in Cuba?
The Observatorio de Género de Alas Tensas (OGAT) is currently the only active organization in Cuba documenting femicides, following the closure of Yo Sí Te Creo in Cuba due to financial constraints.