Cuba Archive - Case 2718

Case ID: 2718

Title: N/A

First name: Adrián

Last name: Leiva Pérez

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 51

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:23 / Month:3 / Year:2010

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Miami

Last known province-TOD: N/A

Last known province current: N/A

Last known country: United States

Location death-address: At sea, near the northern coast of Cuba

Location of death - city: N/A

Location of death province - at TOD: N/A

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: No

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Possibly, Cuban Border Guard

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Reportedly drowned while attempting to re-enter Cuba from its northern coast, but the circumstances of death are suspicious. He had been active in Cuba's dissident movement as an independent journalist and fellow of the Christian Liberation Movement, which had led to his demotion in the state food enterprise where he worked. In 2005 he left Cuba for Miami temporarily, to accompany his wife while she studied in the U.S. When they divorced around a year later, he started trying to go back to Cuba, intent on resuming his human rights activism. In 2008, he was able to return legally on a 3-month visitor's permit, but the Cuban government deported him to Miami after the permit expired. In April 2009, he tried again to get to the island but was blocked at the Miami airport when the Cuban government notified the flight charterer that he would not be allowed entry. Desperate to see his family in Cuba, including his sick and elderly mother, he attempted to sneak back aboard a boat from Miami on March 22, 2010.  On April 5th government officials informed his family that he had drowned and showed them the body. He was buried in Cuba with heavily armed Cuban security forces guarding the ceremony. Three other Cubans dropped off by the boat were detained by Cuban border guards.
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Supuestamente se ahogó al intentar reingresar a Cuba por la costa norte, pero las circunstancias de la muerte son sospechosas. Había participado activamente en el movimiento disidente de Cuba como periodista independiente y miembro del Movimiento Cristiano de Liberación, lo que lo llevó a su degradación en la empresa estatal de alimentos donde trabajaba. En 2005 se fue de Cuba a Miami temporalmente, para acompañar a su esposa mientras ella estudiaba en Estados Unidos.Cuando se divorciaron alrededor de un año después, comenzó intentos de regresar a Cuba con la intención de reanudar su activismo por los derechos humanos. En 2008, pudo regresar legalmente con un permiso de visitante de 3 meses, pero el gobierno cubano lo deportó a Miami después de que expiró el permiso. En abril de 2009, intentó nuevamente llegar a la isla, pero fue bloqueado en el aeropuerto de Miami cuando el gobierno cubano notificó al fletador del vuelo que no se le permitiría ingresar. Desesperado por ver a su familia en Cuba, incluida su madre enferma y anciana, intentó regresar a bordo de un barco desde Miami el 22 de marzo de 2010. El 5 de abril, funcionarios del gobierno informaron a su familia que se había ahogado y les mostraron el cuerpo. Fue enterrado en Cuba con fuerzas de seguridad cubanas fuertemente armadas custodiando la ceremonia. Otros tres cubanos que iban el barco fueron detenidos por guardias fronterizos cubanos.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Extrajudicial killing, possible/suspected

Occupations: - N/A

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Political opponent: member of opposition group

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Adrián Leiva Pérez