Cuba Archive - Case 2962

Case ID: 2962

Title: N/A

First name: Jorge

Last name: Fundora Fernández

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: Patricio (nom de guerre), El Punto

Name also reported as: Francisco

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:23 / Month:4 / Year:1926

Civil Status: Married

Date of death/disappearance: Day:12 / Month:10 / Year:1961

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Miramar

Last known province-TOD: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known province current: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Reparto San Rafael

Location of death - city: Matanzas

Location of death province - at TOD: Matanzas

Location of death province - current: Matanzas

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: 1108 of 1961 of Matanzas province

Sentence details: Capital punishment

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: Day:25 / Month:4 / Year:1961

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: Prison in Matanzas

How long imprisoned/detained: around six months

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: Anti-Castro insurgency/resistance

Case description:

Former President of Business Students' Association at the University of Havana, former student at Columbia University, NY, and former manager of the El Elena sugar mill (leased by his father and confiscated by the revolutionary government).  He joined the resistance to the Castro regime, assuming a leadership position as coordinator of the Matanzas chapter of the anti-Castro group MRR and discovering "El Punto Fundora" in Canasí, where arms for the anti-Castro resistance were received clandestinely from the U.S. He was captured April 25, 1961 after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, then interrogated and tortured in prison. Seventy members of the resistance were tried together by a revolutionary/military tribunal for attempting against the powers of the state. The trial began October 10th and lasted 27 hours, round the clock. Fundora was the only person who received a death sentence, the rest was sentenced to prison. His wife and sister attended the trial and behaved with great composure. When his sentence of execution was announced, his sister called out loud: "Brother, the good never die." ("Mi hermano, los buenos nunca mueren.")  Prior to the trial, Raúl Castro had reportedly instructed the judge and prosecutor to order a death sentence for Fundora. During the trial, Fundora reportedly declared: 'I am only an agent for Cuba's freedom. All I want is for my country to return to the rule of law. For that reason, I will not repent.'  The appeal took place on October 11th, a few hours after the trial ended.
Fundora was a man of deep religious faith and known for his integrity and valor. His defense lawyer exerted great pressure for him to be allowed to see a priest before his execution and only a brief private visit was finally possible. After his nighttime execution immediately after the trial, his family was not allowed to see his body and his friends were intercepted by militias and prevented from attending his funeral and burial. He was buried in an unmarked grave at the San Carlos Cemetery in Ciudad de Matanzas and his family was not allowed to attend the burial. He left a wife and four children.
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Expresidente de la Asociación de Estudiantes de Negocios de la Universidad de La Habana, exalumno de la Universidad de Columbia, NY y exgerente del ingenio azucarero Elena (arrendado por su padre y confiscado por el gobierno revolucionario). Se unió a la resistencia al régimen castrista, asumiendo una posición de liderazgo como coordinador del capítulo Matanzas del grupo anticastrista MRR y descubriendo "El Punto Fundora" en Canasí, donde se recibían clandestinamente armas desde Estados Unidos para la resistencia anticastrista. Fue capturado el 25 de abril de 1961 después de la fallida invasión de Bahía de Cochinos, luego interrogado y torturado en prisión. Setenta miembros de la resistencia fueron juzgados juntos por un tribunal revolucionario / militar por atentar contra los poderes del estado. El juicio comenzó el 10 de octubre y duró 27 horas sinparar. Fundora fue la única persona que recibió una sentencia de muerte, el resto fue condenado a prisión. Su esposa y su hermana asistieron al juicio y se comportaron con gran compostura. Cuando se anunció su sentencia de ejecución, su hermana gritó en voz alta: "Hermano, los buenos nunca mueren". Antes del juicio, según los informes, Raúl Castro había dado instrucciones al juez y al fiscal para que ordenaran la pena de muerte para Fundora. Durante el juicio, según los informes, Fundora declaró: 'Soy solo un agente de la libertad de Cuba. Todo lo que quiero es que mi país vuelva al estado de derecho. Por esa razón, no me arrepentiré '. La apelación tuvo lugar el 11 de octubre, pocas horas después de finalizado el juicio.
Fundora era un hombre de profunda fe religiosa y conocido por su integridad y valor. Su abogado defensor ejerció una gran presión para que se le permitiera ver a un sacerdote antes de su ejecución y finalmente solo fue posible una breve visita privada. Después de su ejecución nocturna inmediatamente después del juicio, su familia no pudo ver su cuerpo y sus amigos fueron interceptados por las milicias y se les impidió asistir a su funeral y entierro. Fue enterrado en una tumba sin nombre en el cementerio de San Carlos en la ciudad de Matanzas y su familia no pudo asistir al entierro. Dejó a su esposa y cuatro hijos.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Execution: by firing squad

Occupations: - Business and Financial Operations Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Anti-Castro insurgent or resistance member

Affiliations: - Movimiento de Recuperacion Revolucionaria (MRR)

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Jorge Fundora Fernández