Cuba Archive - Case 11955

Case ID: 11955

Title: preso común

First name: Ezequiel Aleixi

Last name: Figueroa Mesa

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Pocholo

Age: N/A

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:2 / Month:9 / Year:2025

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Micro 9 José Martí District, Santiago de Cuba

Last known city: Santiago de Cuba

Last known province-TOD: N/A

Last known province current: N/A

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Bungo 8 Penal Forced Labor Camp, Santiago de Cuba / Campamento Penitenciario de Trabajo Forzado Bungo 8

Location of death - city: Santiago de Cuba

Location of death province - at TOD: Santiago de Cuba

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: N/A

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Death in prison while in State custody. Body abandoned, semi-nude, at the funeral home, with suicide alleged—without a police investigation. / Muerte en prisión bajo custodia del Estado, su cuerpo fue abandonado semidesnudo en la funeraria alegando suicidio sin investigación policial correspondiente

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Ezequiel Aleixi Figueroa Mesa—known as “Pocholo”—who was incarcerated at the Bungo 8 penal camp, passed away at 4:00 p.m. Authorities informed his family that he had committed suicide, yet his body bore visible signs of physical abuse. He was transported to a funeral home in the early hours of the morning, and his family remained unaware of his whereabouts until 6:30 a.m. The officer who transported him abandoned the body—which was semi-nude—and departed after failing to locate the family's address.
Ezequiel had been granted a furlough for good behavior just a couple of months prior; he was happy, hopeful, and looking forward to reuniting with his family on September 5th, for his daughter's 15th birthday. Prison authorities maintain that “Pocholo” committed suicide; however, his body exhibits multiple bruises, and there are neither guards nor security personnel at the funeral home to offer any explanations.
Family members and neighbors have publicly denounced the lack of security surrounding such a case as highly irregular—a circumstance that fuels suspicions that his death, following a physical assault, may have been covered up as a suicide. Ezequiel Aleixi Figueroa Mesa, a resident of Micro 9 in the José Martí District, is scheduled to be laid to rest this Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. Relatives and close associates have demanded that the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Party leadership in Santiago de Cuba launch an immediate and thorough investigation to ensure that this alleged crime does not go unpunished.
...
Ezequiel Aleixi Figueroa Mesa —conocido como «Pocholo»—, quien se encontraba recluido en el campamento penal Bungo 8, falleció a las 4:00 p.m. Las autoridades informaron a su familia que se había suicidado; sin embargo, su cuerpo presentaba signos visibles de maltrato físico. Fue trasladado a una funeraria en las primeras horas de la madrugada, y su familia permaneció sin conocer su paradero hasta las 6:30 a.m. El oficial que lo transportó abandonó el cuerpo —que se encontraba semidesnudo— y se marchó tras no lograr localizar el domicilio de la familia.
A Ezequiel se le había concedido un permiso de salida por buena conducta apenas un par de meses antes; estaba feliz, esperanzado y deseaba reencontrarse con su familia el 5 de septiembre, con motivo del decimoquinto cumpleaños de su hija. Las autoridades penitenciarias sostienen que «Pocholo» se suicidó; no obstante, su cuerpo exhibe múltiples hematomas, y en la funeraria no hay guardias ni personal de seguridad presente para ofrecer explicación alguna.
Familiares y vecinos han denunciado públicamente la falta de seguridad en torno a este caso, calificándola de sumamente irregular; una circunstancia que alimenta las sospechas de que su muerte —ocurrida tras una agresión física— podría haber sido encubierta como un suicidio. Ezequiel Aleixi Figueroa Mesa, residente del Micro 9 en el Distrito José Martí, recibirá sepultura este miércoles a las 2:45 p.m. Sus parientes y allegados han exigido a la Fiscalía y a la dirección del Partido en Santiago de Cuba que inicien una investigación inmediata y exhaustiva para garantizar que este presunto crimen no quede impune.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Reported: Highly likely / Highly reliable source(s)

Cause of Death: - Extrajudicial killing, possible/suspected

Occupations: N/A

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Prisoner / Detainee: Non-political cause

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Ezequiel Aleixi Figueroa Mesa