Cuba Archive - Case 2872

Case ID: 2872

Title: N/A

First name: Nibaldo

Last name: Hernández Arencibia

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: Niba

Name also reported as: Nivaldo Hernández Arencibia, Nabildo Hernández, Nivaldo Arencia

Age: 32

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:5 / Month:9 / Year:1930

Civil Status: Married

Date of death/disappearance: Day:30 / Month:4 / Year:1963

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Calle Sol #4

Last known city: Pedro Betancourt

Last known province-TOD: Matanzas

Last known province current: Matanzas

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: N/A

Location of death - city: Bolondrón

Location of death province - at TOD: Matanzas

Location of death province - current: Matanzas

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: No. 58 of 1963

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: Month:4

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: Arrested approximately 20 days before his execution.

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: Anti-Castro insurgency/resistance

Case description:

Nibaldo was arrested at home and accused of counterrevolution and of helping the anti-Castro rebellion, apparently with the help of a spy infiltrated into his resistance group. In a trial, held 20 days later, he was sentenced to death, and the appeal took only an hour and a half (April 29, 1963) and he was executed the following day.  His firing squad execution (and that of five others that night) took place against a wall of rocks and was witnessed by a group of 19 prisoners held under a tent outside, as the prison was overcrowded. The prisoners were then forced to gather the bullet-ridden body and place it in a wooden casket. Hernandez's body had almost been cut in half by the bullets, three prisoners had to hold the body together as they lifted it so that it did not break up in parts. The horrified prisoners, bloodied in the process, were not allowed to wash their hands and had to use their own urine to clear the blood. The death certificate listed the cause as hemorrhage. He left a wife and a 5 year-old daughter, whom he adored.
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Nibaldo fue detenido en su domicilio y acusado de contrarrevolución y de ayudar a la rebelión anticastrista, aparentemente con la ayuda de un espía infiltrado en su grupo de resistencia. En el juicio, celebrado 20 días después, fue sentenciado a muerte y la apelación duró solo una hora y media (29 de abril de 1963) y fue ejecutado al día siguiente, junto a otros cinco, tuvo lugar contra una pared de rocas y fue presenciado por un grupo de 19 presos retenidos bajo una carpa en el exterior, ya que la prisión estaba superpoblada. Los prisioneros fueron luego obligados a recoger el cuerpo acribillado a balazos y colocarlo en un ataúd de madera. El cuerpo de Hernández casi había sido cortado por la mitad por las balas, tres presos tuvieron que sujetar el cuerpo mientras lo levantaban para que no se rompiera en partes. A los presos horrorizados, ensangrentados en el proceso, no se les permitió lavarse las manos y tuvieron que usar su propia orina para limpiar la sangre. El certificado de defunción enumeró la causa como hemorragia. Dejó esposa y una hija de 5 años, a quienes adoraba.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Execution: by firing squad

Occupations: - Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Anti-Castro insurgent or resistance member

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Nibaldo Hernández Arencibia