The Alas Tensas Gender Observatory (OGAT) has raised the number of documented femicides in Cuba to 359 since it began monitoring in 2019, according to an infographic shared by the organization on its social media platforms on July 27, 2026.
This figure establishes OGAT as the sole organization systematically tracking these incidents on the island after the closure of Yo Sí Te Creo en Cuba's Femicide Observatory in April 2026 due to resource shortages and personnel fatigue.
Yearly Breakdown of Femicides
OGAT's records reveal a worrying upward trend, peaking in 2023:
- 2019: 16 cases
- 2020: 33 cases
- 2021: 36 cases
- 2022: 36 cases
- 2023: 90 cases
- 2024: 56 cases
- 2025: 48 cases
- 2026: 44 cases up to July 27
The year 2023 marked a record high, almost tripling the 36 cases documented in 2022.
Although the numbers dipped in 2024 and 2025, the data from 2026 indicates another surge: the 44 cases within just seven months signify a 112% increase compared to the 18 cases recorded during the same period in 2025.
In May and June of 2026, OGAT confirmed 17 femicides compared to only four during those months in 2025, representing a 325% rise. Specifically, May 2026 saw eight cases versus one in May 2025, amounting to a 700% increase.
Recent Cases Highlighting the Crisis
Among the most recent tragedies is the case of Kirenia López Mendoza, 43, found dead on July 18 in her home on Isla de la Juventud, showing signs of extreme brutality. She had reported abuse to the police without receiving protection.
On July 13, in Las Tunas, 23-year-old and pregnant Yeni María Peñas Leyva was attacked and killed by her former partner.
According to OGAT's director, Ileana Álvarez, this was "the first femicide of a pregnant woman recorded since June 5, 2024." Additionally, in July, 17-year-old Merlin Noay died in Santiago de Cuba after being attacked by her former stepfather, a 64-year-old man. OGAT classified this as a familial and child femicide.
The State's Silence and the Importance of Documentation
OGAT emphasizes the necessity of their work given the regime's lack of transparency.
"Reporting these crimes breaks institutional silence, preserves the memory of victims, identifies violence patterns, and demands preventive, protective, and justice measures," the organization stated.
The documented pattern is consistent: 83.3% of femicides are committed by partners or ex-partners, 64.6% involve bladed weapons, and 62.5% occur in the victim's own home.
Legal Gaps and Government Inaction
Cuba lacks comprehensive legislation against gender violence. The 2022 Penal Code does not recognize femicide as an independent offense but merely as an aggravating factor in homicide. The National Assembly rejected an amendment to include it as a standalone crime, with specific legislation not scheduled until 2028.
Moreover, there are no shelters for women at risk, no awareness campaigns, and no protocols for disappearances.
Ileana Álvarez pointed out the institutional contradiction:
"This rise in femicidal violence occurs while the Cuban Women's Federation, the only state-permitted women's organization, uses its social media not to address the increase in gender violence in Cuba, but to criticize families protesting with their children amid the country's deep crisis."
"Documenting each femicide allows us to demand accountability and responses to the regime's impunity," OGAT concluded, reiterating its call for a gender violence state of emergency declaration in Cuba.
Understanding Cuba's Femicide Crisis
What is the Alas Tensas Gender Observatory?
The Alas Tensas Gender Observatory (OGAT) is an organization dedicated to documenting and raising awareness about femicides in Cuba, systematically tracking cases since 2019.
Why is femicide documentation essential in Cuba?
Documenting femicides is crucial because it breaks the silence around these crimes, helps preserve victims' memories, identifies violence patterns, and pressures the government to implement preventive and protective measures.