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Deaths by Hunger Strike Cuban political prisoners who perished during hunger strikes: 1959 to present Updated September 2020 Fidel Castro served only 18 months of a 15-year prison sentence for leading an attack on the Moncada Army Barracks of Santiago de Cuba. During their captivity, they enjoyed privileges for political prisoners -comfortable living conditions, visitors, plentiful reading materials, and participation in group sports. Moreover, dictator Fulgencio Batista caved to public demands and freed all the attackers less than two years into their sentence. During over six decades of the Castro regime, political prisoners have been subjected to appalling treatment and extremely harsh conditions ─hard labor, torture, beatings, malnourishment, lack of medical attention, and killings at the hands of prison guards. Many have resorted to protest hunger strikes; at least fourteen have paid with their lives. Common prisoners also face abhorrent conditions and many have also gone on hunger strike; at least eleven are documented to have died. 14 documented cases of political prisoners who died in hunger strike in chronological order Roberto López Chávez, age 25, served a heavy meal. Alvarez died to ten years of prison for counter- died 12/11/1966 at Isla de Pinos almost immediately after eating. revolution. In prison, he was prison on the 70th day of a hunger tortured, beaten, and abused plus strike. In prison since 1961, he went Francisco Aguirre Vidarrueta his sentence was extended. He and on hunger strike to protest prison died September 1967 at Príncipe fellow prisoners went on many conditions after enduring a savage Castle prison of Havana demanding hunger strikes to protest executions beating by prison guards. He was treatment as a political prisoner and and inhumane prison conditions. moved to a punishment cell and refusing to wear the blue uniform of The hunger strike that took his life denied drinking water. As he common prisoners and criminals. on his 12th year of incarceration screamed for water, several guards lasted 53 days. He was denied entered his cell and one urinated Carmelo medical care and was ill treated by over his open mouth as he lay on Cuadra prison guards as he lay dying. the floor. He died the next day Hernández without receiving medical attention. died Olegario Charlot Spileta died 7/29/1969 at 1/15/1973 at Boniato Prison, Luis Álvarez a Havana Santiago de Cuba. He died during a Ríos, age 31, prison during hunger strike without receiving died 8/9/1967 a hunger medical attention. at Príncipe strike, denied medical care. Castle prison Enrique of Havana. He Pedro Luis García Cuevas had been Boitel, age died at the sentenced to 34, died on Pretensado 20 years of prison for counter- 5/25/1972 at Provincial revolution. He went on a hunger the Príncipe Prison of Las strike with fellow prisoners Castle prison Villas on demanding to be separated from of Havana. A 5/23/1973, the 25th day of a hunger dangerous criminals. On the 11th leader of the strike to protest inhumane prison day, prison authorities agreed and struggle against the Batista regime, conditions and the forced hard they ended the strike. Instead of he turned against the hijacking of labor prison regime. Already very receiving medical attention and the democratic process by the weak from mal nourishment, he did knowing food must be ingested Castro brothers and was sentenced not have medical attention. gradually after fasting, they were Reinaldo Cordero Izquierdo died for his repeated protests against and confrontational attitude had 5/21/1975 in a Pinar del Río prison. prison abuses and his unjust bothered the political police. During his last year of confinement, incarceration. After enduring he had been tortured severely. numerous beatings and torture, he 11 documented cases of Having served his ten-year sentence went on hunger strike demanding prisoners not serving strictly in its entirety, it was arbitrarily his safety and recognition of the political sentences who died increased. He went on hunger strike status of prisoner of conscience. in hunger strike to demand his release, was denied He was denied water for 18 days, in alphabetical order medical care, and died in his cell. which led to kidney failure, and was Lázaro Abreu Godínez, age 45, held naked over a powerful air Dec. 2, 2019 José Barrios Pedré died on conditioner, which provoked a Fernando Arsola Suárez, age 42, 9/22/1977 at Pretensado Provincial, pneumonia. Aug. 10, 2017 Las Villas, province during a hunger Yordanis Ballagas Ramírez, age 27, strike to protest his confinement in Wilman Jan. 25, 2013 an extreme punishment cell. Villar René Cobas Arzola, age 46, Mendoza, Jan. 1, 2012 Santiago age 31, died Vladimir Cuné Vélez, age 31, Roche Valle, 1/19/2012 in Aug. 25, 2014 age 45, died Santiago de Modesto Díaz, age 63, 9/8/1985 at Cuba. He had Nov. 11, 2018 Kilo 7 Prison been sen- Alexander Duarte Vidal, age 40, of Camaguey tenced to four years of prison for Sep. 6, 2014 during a “contempt, resistance, and Andrés Menéndez Malagón, age 45, hunger strike. attempting against the state” for a Mar. 3, 2012 He was denied reportedly fabricated domestic Roberto Ribalta Junco, age 44, medical attention and died of heart violence incident. Upon arriving at Feb. 16, 2013 failure. the prison, he refused to wear the Hugo Riverón Aguilera, age 59, uniform for common prisoners and Jul. 8, 2017 Nicolás González Regueiro, age went on hunger strike demanding Noel Roque Ruiz, age 40, 42, was killed 9/16/1992 in his release. Confined to a Aug. 4, 2013 Manacas Prison, Las Villas, while on punishment cell naked and denied hunger strike. He was serving a water, he contracted pneumonia. He four-year prison sentence for had no medical care and was distributing enemy propaganda transferred to a hospital only when when he developed a duodenal his condition was critical. He left a ulcer. He went on hunger strike to wife and two small daughters. protest the lack of medication and his internment among common Yosvany See details in the individual criminals. Prison guards pressured Aróstegui case records at him to accept the common prisoner Almenteros cubaarchive.org/our-database/ regime and beat him to death, died 8/7/2020 reporting he had committed suicide. in Camaguey. Distribution and reproduction of The human this material is authorized as Orlando rights activist long as its source is cited. Zapata died on the Tamayo, 40th day of a age 42, died hunger strike to protest his 15-year 2/23/2010 on sentence for apparently fabricated day 82 of a charges of domestic violence. He Cuba Archive hunger strike. In was transferred to the Kilo 8 prison Truth and Memory Project prison since of Camagüey, punished with www.CubaArchive.org Tel. (973)701-0520 2003, he was sentenced to three isolation, and denied water. Moved years of prison for contempt, to the hospital shortly before his [email protected] disrespect, and public disorder. His death, his family was not allowed to sentence was subsequently increased visit him and his body was ©Free Society Project, 2020. over 30 more years for disobedience immediately cremated. His activism .
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