Cuba Archive - Case 2848

Case ID: 2848

Title: Mayor

First name: Justo Jesús

Last name: Carreras Zayas

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Jesús Carrera Zayas

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:8 / Month:8 / Year:1933

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:11 / Month:3 / Year:1961

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Cienfuegos

Last known province-TOD: Las Villas

Last known province current: Cienfuegos

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: La Cabaña Fortress prison

Location of death - city: Havana

Location of death province - at TOD: La Habana

Location of death province - current: Ciudad de La Habana

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: No.565, 1961

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: N/A

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: La Cabaña Fortress prison

How long imprisoned/detained: 4.5 months

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Mario Marín, informant.

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

A member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and former commander of the Rebel Army of the Second Escambray Front in the struggle against Batista. He was betrayed by an informant and arrested for counterrevolutionary activities along with William Morgan, accused of conspiring to supply weapons to anti-Castro rebels in the Escambray. While imprisoned at La Cabaña, ground glass was placed in his food on several occasions.
He was tried together with Morgan on March 9, 1961, sentenced to death, and executed by firing squad on March 11. Father Calderón administered last rites and accompanied him to the execution wall, witnessing the firing squad; he reported that Carreras faced his death with composure and serenity. The prosecutor at the trial was Fernando Flores Ibarra, known as “Charco de Sangre” (“Puddle of Blood”), notorious for systematically securing the death penalty for defendants. Schoolchildren—Communist “pioneers”—were taken to witness the execution and, as Carreras’s body fell, they applauded while shouting “death to the worm.” His widow recovered the bodies of Carreras and Morgan and buried them in Havana’s Colón Cemetery. His death certificate lists “internal hemorrhage” as the cause of death. 
He left behind a wife of only 20 years of age, a six-month-old daughter, his parents, two brothers, and a sister. Carreras had firmly opposed Che Guevara’s communist ideals and had heated arguments with him during the struggle against Batista and after the revolution came to power. Guevara bore a grudge and is reportedly said to have ordered his death and to have attended the execution.
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Miembro de las Fuerzas Armadas revolucionarias y excomandante del Ejército Rebelde del Segundo Frente del Escambray en la lucha contra Batista. Fue traicionado por un informante y arrestado por contrarrevolución junto con William Morgan, acusados de conspiración para suministrar armas a los rebeldes anticastristas del Escambray. En la prisión de La Cabaña, varias veces le pusieron vidrio molido en la comida. Fue juzgado con Morgan el 9 de marzo de 1961, sentenciados a muerte y fusilados el 11 de marzo. El padre Calderón, le dio la extremaunción y lo acompañó hasta el paredón, presenciando el fusilamiento; reportó que Carreras afrontó su muerte con aplomo y serenidad.  El fiscal en el juicio fue Fernando Flores Ibarra, “Charco de Sangre”, conocido por obtener sistemáticamente la pena capital para los acusados. Escolares, "pioneros" comunistas, fueron llevados para presenciar la ejecución y, mientras el cuerpo de Carreras caía, aplaudieron gritando "muerte al gusano".  Su viuda recuperó los cadaveres de Carreras y Morgan y los enterró en el cementerio de Colón de La Habana. En su certificado de defunción aparece "hemorragia interna" como causa de la muerte. 
Dejó atrás a una esposa de solo 20 años, una hija de 6 meses, sus padres, dos hermanos y una hermana. Carreras se había opuesto firmemente a los ideales comunistas del Che Guevara y discutido fuertemente con él durante la lucha contra Batista y después de que la revolución llegó al poder. Guevara le guardaba rencor y, según se informa, ordenó su muerte y asistió a la ejecución.

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: - Armed Forces: military or militia

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 2993: William Alexander Morgan

Case Record - Justo Jesús Carreras Zayas