Antonio Rassi, an 18-year-old who died while serving in the Mandatory Military Service (SMO) in Cuba. Photo: Mercedes Roque/Facebook.
Mercedes Roque, mother of Antonio Rassi Roque —who died on August 18 while fulfilled The Compulsory Military Service in the El Calvario military unit, in Havana—, has denounced irregularities and lack of transparency in the investigation process regarding the death of his son.
According to his testimony, published on his Facebook profile on August 25, 2024, Roque first went to the military authorities, but the interview The initial inquiry was “completely inconclusive” and yielded no answers regarding the circumstances of the death. She returned on September 15th and 24th, but was not attended to, and on September 30th she had to insist on being received. Only after refusing to leave the unit was a commission formed, comprised of a lieutenant colonel from the Prosecutor's Office—who lacked military jurisdiction—and several officers from outside the unit where her son served.
According to the post on their account Facebook , Officials assured him that "the case is being handled with complete transparency," although they did not provide him with any documents or results, nor did he receive an official account of the events. Roque also reported that his son showed clear signs of depression, insomnia, and neglect of his personal hygiene. Despite his obvious condition, he never received specialized care.
“Where were the officials in charge of Antonio Rassi that they didn’t notice his depressive state? Why wasn’t I called to be informed of what was happening? If they, who are children, noticed Antonio’s condition, how is it possible that those in charge of him didn’t see it?” she questioned. “It’s simple negligence and lack of attention. A death that could have been avoided,” she stated.
Deaths of young people during service military Mandatory in Cuba are part of a troubling pattern that combines a lack of transparency, institutional negligence, and the absence of independent investigations. In numerous cases, authorities present contradictory or incomplete accounts, while families face silence, harassment, or cover-ups when they demand justice.
This pattern demonstrates the responsibility of the Cuban State for failing to guarantee the life, physical integrity, and adequate care of the recruits under its custody.