Ileana de la Guardia, a Cuban neuropsychologist living in Paris and daughter of Ministry of the Interior Colonel Antonio "Tony" de la Guardia Font, shared insights with CiberCuba about the profound emotional impact of her father's execution by the Castro regime on July 13, 1989. At the time, she was a psychology student at university. "No one is ever prepared to lose their parents, especially when you're still young and your parents are relatively young too. My father was 51," she stated.
When journalist Tania Costa asked her about experiencing those moments, Ileana responded with composure: "It was very difficult, very hard for me and the entire family." She emphasized that the blow was particularly harsh due to the lack of real legal safeguards in the country. "When such an event happens suddenly, in Cuba, where we know there are insufficient legal protections, it's an extremely powerful emotional shock," she explained.
The Grim Reality of 1989's Cause Number 1
Tony de la Guardia was executed alongside General Arnaldo Ochoa Sánchez of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Captain Jorge Martínez Valdés, and Major Amado Padrón Trujillo, as part of the infamous Cause Number 1 of 1989. The regime officially accused them of drug trafficking and treason. Shockingly, the death sentences were handed down just a week before the executions, with the entire process spanning only a month—from June 12, 1989, when they were summoned to the Ministry of the Interior under the pretense of receiving commendations, to their execution on July 13 at Baracoa Beach.
A Trial Without Justice
Ileana has previously condemned the trial as a summary proceeding without effective legal defense, noting that the drug trafficking charge against her father did not even warrant the death penalty under the Cuban Penal Code at that time. She also recounted how Fidel Castro visited her father in prison, promising that "everything would remain within the family" if he confessed—an assurance that was never fulfilled.
A Personal and Political Battle
In her interview with CiberCuba, Ileana described the trial as a calculated character assassination. "It was a process that, from start to finish, aimed to humiliate and tarnish their image to justify the executions," she remarked.
Being the eldest daughter carried its own burden. "Being the oldest gave me the strength to keep supporting my family and facing the situation because I saw it as a responsibility," she explained.
Her father's twin brother, Patricio de la Guardia, faced trial in Cause Number 2 alongside then-Interior Minister José Abrantes and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, a term he completed in June 2019.
Reflecting on a Painful Past
The conversation between Ileana and Costa stemmed from a Father's Day post Ileana had shared. "When I read it, I thought, 'We need to address this when both of us are ready to discuss such a sensitive topic,'" Costa explained at the outset of their dialogue.
Ileana de la Guardia is an active member of Cuba Próxima and serves as the president of the Democratic Cuban Front (DFrente), an opposition platform uniting various Cuban civil and political organizations in exile. In December 2016, following Fidel Castro's death, she succinctly expressed her stance: "Fidel Castro ordered my father's execution; I do not mourn his death."
Understanding the Execution of Tony de la Guardia
What were the charges against Tony de la Guardia?
Tony de la Guardia was accused of drug trafficking and treason by the Cuban regime during the Cause Number 1 of 1989.
Why does Ileana de la Guardia criticize the trial process?
Ileana de la Guardia criticizes the trial process because it lacked effective legal defense and was a summary proceeding. She also notes that the death penalty was not applicable for the charges under the law at that time.
How did Ileana de la Guardia react to Fidel Castro's death?
Upon Fidel Castro's death in 2016, Ileana de la Guardia expressed that she did not mourn his passing, citing his role in ordering her father's execution.