Maykel Ricardo Díaz Lorenzo, aged 49, was discovered dead in his home in the El Cerro municipality of Havana, with multiple stab wounds in what appears to be a deadly robbery.
The news was shared on Saturday by Javier Díaz, a journalist from Univision, through a Facebook post where he demanded justice and urged Cuban authorities to apprehend the perpetrator.
Díaz, who described Maykel as someone very close to his family, recounted that the intruders broke into the home to steal, making off with the victim's cell phone, a chain, and his wallet.
"Maykel was 49 years old, a very hardworking and responsible guy. From what I understand, they broke into his house to rob him," Díaz wrote, adding that "it seems they took his phone, a chain, and his wallet from the house."
The family member also revealed that Maykel was in the process of emigrating from the country at the time of his death, highlighting the plight of thousands of Cubans seeking to leave the island due to worsening living conditions.
Maykel leaves behind his partner, a sister, and nieces and nephews. Cuban authorities have not released any public statements about the case, a silence that Javier Díaz expressed concern over: "I hope this is not just another unsolved murder in Cuba."
This crime occurs amid a continuous rise in violence across Cuba. The Cuban Observatory for Citizen Audit (OCAC) recorded 90 murders between January and June of 2026, compared to 63 during the same period in 2025, marking a 42.9% increase. The number of fatal violence victims rose from 69 to 102 in that semester, a 47.8% increase.
The organization Cubalex documented 52 homicides in August 2026 alone, the highest monthly figure since their monitoring began in 2024, surpassing the 37 reported in July.
Home burglaries are becoming increasingly common throughout the country. The OCAC confirmed 592 burglaries in Cuba during the first half of 2026, and incidents like Maykel's are alarmingly frequent. Earlier this month, a 59-year-old man was stabbed to death in Bayamo, allegedly for his motorbike valued at 150,000 Cuban pesos.
The Cuban government does not release official crime statistics, forcing reliance on independent organizations to gauge the extent of the problem. Impunity remains a common concern among victims' families, who rarely receive public information about investigation progress.
"With deep sorrow and demanding justice, I make this post," wrote Javier Díaz upon announcing Maykel's death. "I feel obliged to ask Cuban authorities to capture the responsible party."
Understanding the Rise in Violence in Cuba
What recent trends are being observed in Cuba's crime rate?
There has been a notable increase in violent crimes in Cuba, with organizations like OCAC reporting a significant rise in homicides and burglaries in recent years.
How are independent organizations helping to track crime in Cuba?
Independent organizations such as OCAC and Cubalex are crucial for monitoring crime in Cuba, as they provide data and analysis in the absence of official government statistics.
What challenges do families of victims face in Cuba?
Families of crime victims in Cuba often struggle with a lack of public information about investigations and face the fear of impunity for the perpetrators.