Cuba Archive - Case 3917

Case ID: 3917

Title: N/A

First name: Abelardo

Last name: Aguiar Alfonso

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Abelardo Aguíar Alionso

Age: 21

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:21 / Month:5 / Year:1939

Civil Status: Single

Date of death/disappearance: Day:13 / Month:4 / Year:1961

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Calle 37 entre 26 y 30, La Sierra

Last known city: La Habana

Last known province-TOD: La Habana

Last known province current: N/A

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?: N/A

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: La Cabaña Fortress prison

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

After completing high school at the Augusta Military Academy in Virginia, USA, in 1957,  Abelardo returned to Cuba and was studying to become an accountant. After the revolution came to power January 1959 and took a radical turn, he joined a Catholic Youth resistance group. On March 8, 1961, government militias knocked on the door at his home and arrested the entire family (father, mother, sisters ages 17 and 19, and a cousin from Santa Clara who lived there while studying medicine in Havana). They were held separately and incommunicado for five days. Abelardo was arrested on the street, having been followed. He was sentenced to 15 years of prison for counterrevolutionary activities. The night of his summary trial, the famous department store El Encanto was burned down in an apparent act of sabotage. The members of the revolutionary tribunal became enraged by watching the flames in the distance and started shouting to have him killed. Abelardo was sentenced to death, not allowed an appeal, and immediately executed that same night, at 11pm. The priest who accompanied him reported his last words were "Viva Cristo Rey" (Glory to Christ the King). The following day, news reports of the fire listed him as one of the saboteurs although he had been in prison for one month.
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Después de terminar la escuela secundaria en la Academia Militar de Augusta en Virginia, EE.UU., en 1957, Abelardo regresó a Cuba y estaba estudiando para contador. Después que la revolución llegó al poder y tomó un giro radical, se unió a un grupo de resistencia de la Juventud Católica. El 8 de marzo de 1961, milicias del gobierno arrestaron a toda la familia. Abelardo fue acusado de  participar en la quema de la tienda por departamentos más famosa de La Habana, El Encanto, a pesar de que ya estaba preso cuando eso ocurrió. Fue sentenciado a muerte e inmediatamente ejecutado. El sacerdote que lo acompañó informó que sus últimas palabras fueron "Viva Cristo Rey".

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Execution: by firing squad

Occupations: - N/A

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 - Abelardo Aguiar Alfonso