Cuba Archive - Case 2741

Case ID: 2741

Title: N/A

First name: José Dámaso Antonino

Last name: Díaz Pou

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Antonio Díaz Pous, José Antonio Díaz Pou, José Antoniio Duaz Pou, Antonio Díaz Pou, Antonio Díaz Pons

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:11 / Month:12 / Year:1934

Civil Status: Single

Date of death/disappearance: Day:6 / Month:12 / Year:1961

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Alfredo Lima Street # 18

Last known city: Santa Cruz del Norte

Last known province-TOD: La Habana

Last known province current: La Habana

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: San Severino Castle prison

Location of death - city: Matanzas

Location of death province - at TOD: N/A

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: 1134 of 1961

Sentence details: Capital punishment

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: Arrested at Jibacoa Beach, held at San Severino Castle prison

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Matanzas Revolutionary Tribunal, Prosecutor First Lt. Dr. Everlijo Romínguez Domínguez,

Associated Event: 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion

Case description:

Member of the MRR opposition group and of the 2506 Brigade (of Cuban exiles). Infiltrated Cuba to conduct sabotage operations in support of the upcoming Bay of Pigs invasion that sought, but failed, to liberate Cuba from Castro's Communist regime with U.S. government (CIA) support. After being discovered, he escaped a manhunt by obtaining asylum in the Venezuelan embassy in Havana. However, he left the protection of the embassy and joined the Cuban underground. He was captured while attempting to escape Cuba via Jibacoa Beach, was brought to trial before the Matanzas Revolutionary Tribunal and convicted of crimes against the powers of the state and imperfect homicide, sentenced to death on November 30, 1961. Three other men were sentenced to political imprisonment under the same case and judicial docket for assisting in his attempted escape: Rarmón Alonso Beceiro, sentenced to thirty years; José Oscar García Suárez, sentenced to ten years; and Radegundo Tápanes Hernández, sentenced to five years.
==================================================================
Miembro del grupo de oposición MRR y de la Brigada 2506 (de exiliados cubanos). Se infiltró en Cuba para llevar a cabo operaciones de sabotaje en apoyo a la invasión de Bahía de Cochinos que buscó, pero no logró, liberar a Cuba del régimen comunista de Castro con el apoyo del gobierno de Estados Unidos (CIA). Después de ser descubierto, escapó de una cacería humana al obtener asilo en la embajada de Venezuela en La Habana. Sin embargo, dejó la protección de la embajada y se unió al a los grupos clandestinos de acción contra Castro. Fue capturado mientras intentaba escapar de Cuba por la playa de Jibacoa, fue llevado a juicio ante el Tribunal Revolucionario de Matanzas y condenado por crímenes contra los poderes del Estado,  homicidio imperfecto y sentenciado a muerte el 30 de noviembre de 1961. Otros tres hombres fueron condenados a prisión política bajo el mismo caso y expediente judicial por ayudar en su intento de fuga: Rarmón Alonso Beceiro, sentenciado a treinta años; José Oscar García Suárez, condenado a diez años; y Radegundo Tápanes Hernández, sentenciado a cinco años.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

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: - Anti-Castro insurgent or resistance member

Affiliations: - Movimiento de Recuperación Revolucionaria (MRR)

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - José Dámaso Antonino Díaz Pou