Mother of Cuban Soldier Criticizes Military and Judicial Obstacles in Son's Death Inquiry

Mercedes Roque has once again raised her voice on social media, releasing a video on Facebook to criticize the obstacles posed by military and judicial authorities in her attempt to challenge the closure of her son Antonio Alejandro Rassi Roque's case. Antonio, a recruit, tragically lost his life on August 18, 2025, at Military Unit 5050 "El Calvario" in Havana.

Her latest statement emerged just two weeks after she publicly condemned the decision to dismiss the case on July 2. Prosecutor Velázquez from the Regional Prosecutor's Office had informed her there was no further cause to pursue.

Roque explained that she was given a mere three days to contest the ruling, with the deadline expiring on Tuesday, July 7. However, when she attempted to submit her appeal, she was redirected to the Territorial Prosecutor's Office at El Calvario. There, Lieutenant Colonel Aysel informed her that no documents pertaining to her son's case were on file.

"There's nowhere to seek justice for a child who died during military service," Roque lamented in her video.

She accused the prosecutor of deliberately sending her to the wrong office, effectively denying her the only legal recourse. "You all are part of a well-oiled machine, covering for each other," she declared. "We're familiar with the tactics to wear down and frustrate families; it's become the norm."

Allegations of Harassment and Neglect

In her video, Roque directly accused First Political Lieutenant Aldo Fabregas Ardiles of Military Unit 5050 of being responsible for her son's death. She stated that she made this accusation five times on June 19 in front of the head of the Western Army, and no one challenged her assertions.

She also implicated Major Ricardo Martínez in the circle of officers involved, noting that neither individual has faced charges.

"Every suicide has a responsible party. The one accountable for Antonio Alejandro Rassi Roque's suicide is the political officer at 5050, Aldo Fabregas Ardiles. I repeated this five times on June 19 in front of the western army chief, and no one contradicted me," she stated.

Roque described a troubling pattern of harassment leading up to her son's death, including threats, ridicule, derogatory nicknames, increasing confusion, neglect of personal hygiene, and falling asleep on duty. Despite these warning signs, no one alerted the family.

"A child who became disoriented, stopped bathing, fell asleep on guard duty—a violation—and no one, not once, called me," she reported.

Ongoing Struggle for Justice

For nearly eleven months, Mercedes Roque has been tirelessly seeking answers without success. She attempted to visit the military unit in August 2025 but was ignored. Later, in November, authorities promised "complete transparency," and by May 2026, she claimed over three months had passed without any contact.

Antonio's death is part of a troubling pattern documented by Cubalex, which has recorded at least 78 recruit deaths in obscure or negligent circumstances since 2019, including at least 19 deaths in 2025 alone, seven of which occurred between July and August of that year.

Instead of reforming the institution, the regime enacted Decree 103/2024 in October 2024, which increased penalties for failing to comply with Mandatory Military Service, imposing fines ranging from 2,500 to 7,000 pesos and introducing criminal consequences for young people over 16.

Mercedes Roque concluded her video with a direct appeal to other Cuban mothers: "Down with the bloody mandatory military service in Cuba. No more mandatory military service in Cuba. No more innocent lives lost."