Cuba Archive - Case 1067

Case ID: 1067

Title: Teniente

First name: Francisco María

Last name: Viamonte Mirabal

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Francisco Viamontes, Francisco Mirabal Vallina, Francisco J. Sánchez Mirabal, Francisco Mirabal Sánchez

Age: 53

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:5 / Month:6 / Year:1905

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:2 / Month:2 / Year:1959

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Vicinity of Baraguá Sugar Mill

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: Camagüey

Last known province current: Camagüey

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Shooting practice field

Location of death - city: Outskirts of the city of Camagüey

Location of death province - at TOD: Camagüey

Location of death province - current: Camagüey

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: Capital punishment

Arrest or detention at time of death: N/A

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: Less than two weeks

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Revolutionary Armed Forces - Revolutionary Tribunal

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Career military officer with more than thirty years of service, his last posting was as head of the Piedrecita barracks. Was accused of war crimes for which no proof was presented at his trial. He had been arrested on the spot when he attended to testify in Ciego de Avila on behalf of a fellow officer, accused of attacking a nursing home. He was executed by firing squad with eighteen others, taken from his cell to the firing squad at 5am the day after his trial without notifying his family. His son had left for Havana to find a lawyer for his appeal, for which he as supposed to have had three days. Huber Matos signed the death sentence. The family was denied his remains.
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Oficial militar de carrera con más de treinta años de servicio, su último puesto fue como jefe del cuartel de Piedrecita. Fue acusado de crímenes de guerra de los que no se presentaron pruebas en su juicio. Había sido detenido cuando fue a declarar en Ciego de Ávila en nombre de un compañero, acusado de atentar contra una residencia de ancianos. Fue ejecutado por un pelotón de fusilamiento con otras dieciocho personas, y lo llevaron de su celda al pelotón de fusilamiento a las 5 de la mañana del día siguiente al juicio sin notificar a su familia. Su hijo se había ido a La Habana a buscar un abogado para su apelación, para la que supuestamente tenía tres días. Huber Matos firmó la sentencia de muerte. A la familia se le negaron sus restos.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Beruvides, 1993, p. 145; and Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, report a Francisco Mirabal executed at La Cabaña prison on 5/29/1959. Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 88; and Nuestra Cuba, 1998, p. 42, report him executed by firing squad in the city of Camagüey in June 1959.  Some sources report him executed at Baraguá Sugar Mill in Baraguá on July 25, 1959.  Ruíz, 1965, p. 243; Beruvides, 1993, p. 174; and Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, report him as Francisco J. Sánchez Mirabal, a Batista army officer, executed by firing squad in 1959.  Ruíz, 1965, p. 242; Beruvides, 1993, p. 145; WAQI-Radio Mambí, p. 47; Nuestra Cuba, 1998, p. 35; Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 55; and Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, report him as Francisco Mirabal Sánchez, living in the province of La Habana, executed by firing squad at La Cabaña Fortress prison in the city of Havana on May 29, 1959.  Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, reports him executed by firing squad in 1962. Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, reports a Francisco Mirabal Vallina disappeared in an exit attempt in 1970. Bohemia, Año 51, No. 2, 11 de enero de 1959, p. 198, (forgery) reports a Francisco Mirabal Sánchez, age 19, from Coliseo, Matanzas, an anti-Batista revolutionary hanged from a tree by Batista's rural police on Feb. 10, 1958 at the Coliseo mineral waters spa (balneario), his bicycle found at his feet. Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, reports a Francisco Mirabal executed  by firing squad in 1962.

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Execution: by firing squad

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: served Batista government

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Francisco María Viamonte Mirabal