A recent report by the Cuban Observatory of Citizen Audit (OCAC), in collaboration with Cuba Siglo 21, has revealed that 97 Cuban conscripts have died or gone missing during their Mandatory Military Service (SMO) from August 2001 to the spring of 2026. The average age of these individuals was 18.7 years, with suicide being noted as the leading cause of death.
The study, titled "The Intensification of Mandatory Military Service in Cuba," was conducted by researcher José Manuel González Rubines, utilizing records compiled by the Archivo Cuba project with assistance from Alfredo González, the father of one of the victims. The document emphasizes that the documented number is a minimum estimate, stating, "The documented figure is a floor, not a ceiling," highlighting the absence of official Cuban statistics on military service mortality.
Suicide accounts for 33 cases (34% of the total), followed by severe or criminal negligence with 25 cases (25.8%), and accidents with 22 cases (22.7%). Tragically, seven of the deceased were under 18 years old—children by the standards of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Cuba ratified in 1991—representing 11.1% of the known-age cases. In four instances classified as suicides, families suspect that the official account hides a homicide.
The Struggles of Conscripts in Cuba
Former recruits' testimonies describe experiences of isolation, extreme deprivation, and degrading discipline. "The military service is designed to break us. I believe that suicide crossed many of our minds at some point," one former recruit shared.
Two catastrophic events have drawn public attention to the SMO in recent years. On August 5, 2022, four recruits aged between 18 and 20 were burned alive at the Matanzas Supertanker Base without adequate tools or training to fight the largest industrial disaster in the country's recent history. On January 7, 2025, nine recruits and four officers perished in an ammunition depot explosion in Melones, Holguín.
Tragic Cases and Ongoing Concerns
The most recent documented case is that of Dailier Rodríguez Tamayo, a 19-year-old from Ciego de Ávila. He died in March 2026 at Military Unit 10-24 in El Cotorro, Havana, more than 400 kilometers from home, despite having a naval hospital ruling against carrying weapons.
In July 2021, Annier González, aged 18, took his life just 13 days after being enlisted using the rifle given to him to guard a lonely tower at the Combinado del Sur prison in Matanzas. His father manages the Facebook group "No More Victims in Military Service in Cuba," with over 18,000 members. The heart-wrenching message he dedicated to his son—"Forgive me for not getting you out of that place"—has become a symbol of the affected families' anguish.
The report condemns the reprisals faced by those seeking justice. Orlando Lago Vega's father, whose son was murdered in a Havana military unit in June 2020, was sentenced in 2023 to a year and a half in prison for demanding an investigation into his son's death. The July 2023 Military Penal Code imposes penalties of up to five years for evasion, and the Military Prosecutor's Office considers suicide an attempt at desertion, leading to potential sentences exceeding ten years for survivors.
Adrián Rodríguez García, 19, died while serving his mandatory military duty in Cuba. The young man from Santa Clara was expected to complete his service by early December 2023, but delays by the Manuelita unit's officers kept him on guard duty until December 31. On New Year's Eve, his mother visited him with food. He mentioned that he had four or five days left at most. She returned home, only to receive a call four hours later informing her of his death. He had been granted permission to leave the unit on December 31, yet was struck and left to die by a drunk driver. No investigation was conducted into the officers who authorized his departure.
Comparatively, Cuba documented 22 cases in 2025 during peacetime, the same number as Israel—a nation actively engaged in conflict with a military force of several hundred thousand—reported as their highest in 15 years. The report underlines the contrast in institutional responses: in Israel, each case is publicly investigated, while in Cuba, silence prevails.
"As long as the system responsible for these losses remains unchanged, there is no reason to believe the death toll will stop rising," concludes the OCAC report.
Understanding the Military Service Crisis in Cuba
What is the leading cause of death among Cuban conscripts?
The leading cause of death among Cuban conscripts is suicide, accounting for 34% of the documented cases.
How does Cuba's military mortality rate compare to that of Israel?
In 2025, Cuba reported 22 documented cases of military deaths during peacetime, identical to the number reported by Israel, a country in active conflict, as their highest in 15 years. However, Cuba lacks the public investigation and transparency seen in Israel.
What actions are taken against those seeking justice for military deaths in Cuba?
Individuals seeking justice for military deaths in Cuba face reprisals, including imprisonment. For instance, a father was sentenced to a year and a half in prison for advocating an investigation into his son's death in a military unit.