Cuban Feminists Confirm a New Femicide, the Second in a Week

The victim is Annelis Hernández Puerto, 47, who was allegedly murdered by her partner

In the Criminal Code of Cuba, femicide is not classified as a crime, and the terms “femicide” or “sexist crime” are not used / Maykel Hernández/Facebook

14ymedio biggerEFE/14ymedio, Havana, 24 September 2024 — The independent Cuban platforms Alas Tensas and Yo Sí Te Creo confirmed this Monday a new femicide on the Island, the second in a week.

The victim is Annelis Hernández Puerto, 47, who was allegedly murdered by her partner on September 19 in her home in the municipality of Florida, in the province of Camagüey. After the fact, the aggressor committed suicide, according to the activists.

Both groups expressed their condolences to the adult son who survives, Hernández Puerto, as well as to other relatives and friends. With this death, there have been 35 femicides in Cuba so far this year, according to this newspaper’s records.

The independent platforms also indicated that they have knowledge of three other attempted femicides, and that they require access to the police investigation for six more possible cases in the provinces of Havana, Santiago de Cuba and Villa Clara.

Both groups expressed their condolences to the adult son who survives, Hernández Puerto, as well as to other relatives and friends

The groups insist on the importance of the Cuban government declaring a “state of emergency for gender violence,” and they advocate for a comprehensive law against sexist violence.

In the Cuban Penal Code, femicide is not classified as a crime, and the terms “femicide” or “sexist crime” are not used

The official Cuban Observatory on Gender Equality stated at the beginning of August that the courts identified a total of 110 women over 15 years of age murdered by their partners or ex-partners, who were tried in 2023.

A recent report by the Attorney General, Yamila Peña, reflected that 72% of the victims are between 25 and 59 years old; 84% of the perpetrators were the partner or ex-partner, and 31% had criminal records of violent acts.

Information about femicides in the Cuban press is scarce, but in recent months the ruling party has publicly recognized the dimension of the problem.

At the end of July, the government approved a national system of “registration, attention, follow-up and monitoring” of sexist violence on the island.

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORKThe 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.