Cuba Archive - Case 5978

Case ID: 5978

Title: N/A

First name: Gerónimo

Last name: Candina Betancourt

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Jerónimo Candina López / Jerónimo Candina Betanco Gandia, Gourt, Gerbonimo Candina, Jerónimer Gandia, Geronimo Codina, Geronimo Codines, Jeronimo Codines, Geronimo Condines, Gerónimo Cárdenas or Jeronimo Cárdenas, Jerónimo Sandía

Age: N/A

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:8 / Month:1 / Year:1966

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: N/A

Last known province current: N/A

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Isla de los Pinos prison

Location of death - city: Isla de Pinos

Location of death province - at TOD: La Habana

Location of death province - current: Isla de la Juventud

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: Isla de los Pinos prison

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Prison authorities / guards

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Killed when the overpacked truck he was being transported in overturned. He was part of a group of prisoners being taken to the fields for forced labor. At the time, (1964-1967) several thousand political prisoners held at Isla de Pinos were subjected to a rehabilitation; regime of extreme repression, forced hard labor, and malnutrition called special plan Camilo Cienfuegos. Beatings and severe punishments were common and several prisoners were killed by prison guards.  Until then, during the history of the Cuban republic, political prisoners had never been forced to work.
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Muerto cuando el camión sobrecargado en el que lo transportaban se volcó. Formaba parte de un grupo de presos llevados a los campos para realizar trabajos forzados. En ese momento (1964-1967) varios miles de presos políticos detenidos en la Isla de Pinos fueron sometidos a rehabilitación; régimen de extrema represión, trabajos forzados y desnutrición denominado plan especial Camilo Cienfuegos. Las palizas y los castigos severos eran habituales y los guardias de la prisión asesinaron a varios presos. Hasta entonces, durante la historia de la república cubana, nunca se había obligado a trabajar a los presos políticos.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Organization of American States, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Fourth Special Report, Report for 1967, 7 April 1967, p. 6 reports a Jerónimo Gandia or Gerónimo Gandia dying at Isla de los Pinos prison in 1966 from torture and ill treatement.
For Gerónimo Candina or Gerónimo Candina Betancourt or Gerbonimo Candina, or Geronimo Codina, or Geronimo Codines, or Jeronimo Codines, or Geronimo Condines, or Jerónimo Candina Betancourt: Clarinada, octubre 2009, reports the victim as Gerónimo Candina, assassinated at Isla de Pinos prison on October 1, 1966. Eduardo de Juan, 1997, p. 280. Beruvides, 1993, pp. 98 and 104. WAQI-Radio Mambí, p. 3. Presidio Político Cubano, 1997, p. 156. Pardo Mazorra, 1992, p. 564. Organization of American States, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Fifth Special Report, 1976, p. 3. Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 20. Nuestra Cuba, 1998, p. 4. Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994. Instituto de la Memoria Histórica Cubana contra el Totalitarismo, 2002, p. 25. Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 20; Nuestra Cuba, 1998, p. 4; and Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, report him assassinated in prison on January 8, 1966.  Instituto de la Memoria Histórica Cubana contra el Totalitarismo, 2002, p. 25, reports him dying of a penal work accident on October 1, 1966.  Instituto de la memoria histórica, www.cubamemorial.net/listado;
Beruvides, 1993, p. 99; Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994; WAQI-Radio Mambí, p. 12; Nuestra Cuba, 1999, p. 11; and Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 16, all report a Gerónimo Cárdenas or Jeronimo Cárdenas killed January 27, 1966 as a result of prison guard violence at Isla de Pinos prison.
For: Gerbonimo Candina, Geronimo Codina, Geronimo Codines, Jeronimo Codines, Geronimo Condines, Jerónimo Candina Betancourt: Eduardo de Juan, 1997, p. 280; Beruvides, 1993, pp. 98 and 104; WAQI-Radio Mambí, p. 3; Presidio Político Cubano, 1997, p. 156; Pardo Mazorra, 1992, p. 564; Organization of American States, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Fifth Special Report, 1976, p. 3; Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 20; Nuestra Cuba, 1998, p. 4; Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994; Instituto de la Memoria Histórica Cubana contra el Totalitarismo, 2002, p. 25; all report him dying in a prison accident at Isla de Pinos prison on August 1, 1966. Roberto Jiménez, Plan Especial Camilo Cienfuegos, un nombre para el trabajo forzado en Cuba, martinoticias.com, 1 junio 2014, reports him as Jerónimo Sandía.
El Presidio Político de Isla de Pinos P. 264 reports him as Jerónimo Candina López and dying when a truck overturned. Instituto de la memoria histórica, www.cubamemorial.net/listado, reports him as Jerónimo Candina Betancourt.

Violation Status: Reported: Highly likely / Highly reliable source(s)

Cause of Death: - Gross or criminal negligence

Occupations: N/A

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Prisoner / Detainee: Political cause

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Gerónimo Candina Betancourt