Cuba Archive - Case 6162

Case ID: 6162

Title: N/A

First name: Elpidio

Last name: Mederos Guerra

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Elpidio Méndez Guerra , Elpidio Madera Guerra

Age: N/A

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:19 / Month:3 / Year:1959

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: La Habana

Last known province current: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: La Cabaña Fortress prison

Location of death - city: La Habana

Location of death province - at TOD: La Habana

Location of death province - current: Ciudad de La Habana

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: No

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

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Che Guevara. Prosecutor: Pelayo Fernández Rubio (charco de sangre)

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Policeman executed by firing squad, member of the radio patrol car division (car no. 100). He was arrested and accused with his two peers, of the murder of three members of the resistance who had broken into an armory and stolen a cache of arms. On the day of that murder, they had been on duty guarding a high government official at his house and had only come upon the three men who were fleeing but did not search them and let them go. The three were later arrested and assassinated. Elpidio and his partners were tried on March 13th and he and Rafael were sentenced to death. At the appeal, held on March 18th, witnesses on their behalf were prevented from testifying or dismissed. Elpidio led the firing squad that executed him. The third member of the squad, "el viejo Serrano," was sent to prison due to his age (he was over 60).
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Ejecutado por el pelotón de fusilamiento. Policia de radiopatrullas que hacía guardia fija con dos compañeros en casa de figures importantes. Fueron arrestados y acusados de asesinar a tres miembros del movimiento de oposición del 26 de julio que habían roto una armería y robado un arsenal de armas. El día de dicho asesinato habían estado de guardia en la casa de un alto personero de gobierno. En el juicio, el 13 de marzo, fueron sentenciados el y Rafael García Muñiz, a muerte. Fueron fusilados a la 1:20am, habiendo terminado la apelación a las 11:30pm del 18 de marzo 1959. El tercer compañero, el viejo Serrano, evadio muerte y fue a prisión, por tener más de 60 años.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Beruvides, 1993, p. 143; Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994; and Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 54, all report an Elpidio Mederos Guerra, executed at La Cabaña prison on Jan. 9, 1959. Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994, reports an Elpidio Mederos Guerra executed by firing squad in 1962.   Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 54, reports an Elpidio Méndez Guerra assassinated at the G-2 State Security office in Havana on March 21, 1967. Ruíz, 1965, p. 242; Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994; and Beruvides, 1993, p. 139, all report an Elpidio Madera Guerra, member of the Batista Armed Forces, executed May 1959 at an unspecified location. 
 Beruvides, 1993, p. 144; Cuban American National Foundation, Quilt of Fidel Castro's Genocide, 1994; WAQI-Radio Mambí, p. 4; and Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 54; all report an Elpidio Méndez Guerra killed extrajudicially Jan. 9, 1967 at a State Security office in Havana.

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Execution: by firing squad

Occupations: - N/A - Protective Service Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Government official (civilian, police, State Security, etc.)

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 782: Rafael García Muñiz

Case Record - Elpidio Mederos Guerra