Alfredo González, the father of 18-year-old Annier González Acosta who tragically died on July 4, 2021, while serving in Cuba's Mandatory Military Service (SMO), shared a heart-wrenching message on Facebook. In his post, he expressed the unbearable pain of burying his son and urged that no other Cuban family should endure such a loss.
"They say life has its path, that a father goes first, and children remain to bid farewell. But I faced the unmentionable, breaking the natural order, bearing the burden of burying my own blood and watching my world shatter into pieces," González wrote.
Annier was born on September 1, 2002, and lost his life at 18 while on guard duty at a watchtower of the Combinado del Sur prison in Matanzas, armed with the standard-issue rifle he had been assigned. He had been in that unit for just 13 days, following a 12-day COVID-19 isolation period, without adequate training to handle a weapon.
The father described how his son's room remains untouched. "His room is just as he left it, with his laughter still echoing off the walls. Every night, I gaze at the sky and wonder why you left," he shared.
González's post also conveyed resignation to a justice he sees as unattainable: "I know there is no justice that can bring him back. Every time I visit your grave, I talk to you, even if you don't answer. It's hard, but what else can we do?"
Beyond personal grief, the message is a stark indictment of the system. "We must fight so that no more families suffer the loss of a child due to the chaos and irresponsibility of Cuba's Mandatory Military Service. Our children should not be humiliated or discriminated against by a system that disrespects the sons of this nation, which belongs to all, not to its criminal laws," González demanded.
Since Annier's death, his father has spent over five years publicly denouncing the case. The regime detained him in July 2025 for more than 30 hours on charges of "disrespect" after he criticized an officer. He was released under a cautionary measure with a bail of 5,000 Cuban pesos.
The General Military Prosecutor's Office allegedly acknowledged that abuses occurred and that several officers were "severely punished." However, González challenged this claim, noting that one officer was promoted to captain and another reassigned as an instructor. In response to his petition, the National Assembly of People's Power advised him to seek ordinary legal assistance.
González manages the Facebook group "No More VICTIMS in Cuba's Military Service," which had over 18,000 members by 2026, serving as a platform for citizen documentation.
Annier's case is not isolated. The Cuban Observatory for Citizen Audit (OCAC) recorded at least 97 deaths and disappearances of recruits between August 2001 and spring 2026, with an average age of 18.7 years. Suicide was the most documented cause, with 33 cases (34%), followed by severe or criminal negligence (25 cases) and accidents (22 cases). The Cuban state does not release official statistics on SMO deaths.
"God, take care of him wherever he is, for here his father loves him with memories and an eternal void," González concluded his message, dedicated to Annier and "all the victims of Mandatory Military Service in Cuba."
Understanding the Impact of Cuba's Mandatory Military Service
What led to Annier González Acosta's death?
Annier González Acosta died while on guard duty at a watchtower in a Cuban prison, having been inadequately trained and isolated due to COVID-19 protocols. The circumstances surrounding his death have been linked to systemic issues within the Mandatory Military Service.
How has Alfredo González responded to his son's death?
Alfredo González has actively denounced the conditions and negligence within Cuba's Mandatory Military Service, campaigning for change and justice for his son and other victims. He manages a Facebook group to raise awareness and document related cases.
What are the documented causes of death in Cuba's SMO?
The Cuban Observatory for Citizen Audit (OCAC) has recorded causes such as suicide, severe or criminal negligence, and accidents among recruits in the Mandatory Military Service between 2001 and 2026.