Cuba Archive - Case 6364

Case ID: 6364

Title: N/A

First name: Jorge Francisco

Last name: Balbuena Calzadilla

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Francisco Balbuena, Francisco Calzadilla, Félix Balbuena Calzadilla

Age: 37

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:15 / Month:8 / Year:1968

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: N/A

Last known province-TOD: Oriente

Last known province current: Guantánamo

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Castillo El Príncipe (Prince Castle) 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: Castillo El Príncipe (Prince Castle) Prison

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Political prisoner who committed suicide by jumping to his death from a high wall at Havana's Castillo del Príncipe prison. First imprisoned at Boniato Prison in Santiago de Cuba, he had refused indoctrination and the uniform for common prisoners. He was held in punishment cells at the San Ramón and Tres Maceos concentration camps near Bayamo, Oriente province. To break him psychologically, his son was arrested and imprisoned for illegal exit from the country. Prison authorities denied him medical attention requested by fellow inmates due to his weak and depressed condition. Instead, he was transferred to La Cabaña Fortress prison, where he  lost his mind from tortures and ill treatment. In August 1968 he was transferred to Prince Castle prison in Havana, where he soon committed suicide.
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Preso político que se suicidó saltando a la muerte desde un muro alto en la prisión del Castillo del Príncipe en la provincia de la Habana. Durante su permanencia en la cárcel de Boniato en Santiago de Cuba, se negó a ser adoctrinado y a usar el uniforme de los prisioneros comunes. Fue puesto en una celda de castigo en los campos de concentración San Ramón y Tres Maceos cerca de Bayamo, provincia de Oriente. Para someterlo psicológicamente, las autoridades arrestaron a su hijo bajo el cargo de salida ilegal y lo enviaron a la prisión de Boniato. Debido a que estaba muy débil y sufriendo depresión, otros presos pidieron atención médica para él, pero fue rechazado. Fue trasladado a la cárcel de La Cabaña, donde sufrió más torturas y malos tratos. En agosto de 1968 fue trasladado a la prisión del Castillo del Príncipe donde se suicidó.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Beruvides, 1993, p. 97, reports him executed by firing squad. Gómez Estrada, 1990, p. 213, reports him committing suicide at Isla de Pinos (Isle of Pines) prison.  Organization of American States, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Fifth Special Report, 1976, p. 3, reports him dying in 1967.  Circuito Sur, July 2002, p. 9, reports him assassinated after prison guards at at Atares Castle prions damaged his liver by hitting him with the butt of their rifles, although he died at La Cabaña Fortress prison on August 15, 1968.  Instituto de la memoria histórica, www.cubamemorial.net/listado, reports him as Francisco Balbuena Calzadilla.  WAQI-Radio Mambí, p. 66; and Beruvides, 1993, p. 97, report him as Francisco Calzadilla, a male prisoner at La Cabaña Fortress prison, executed by firing squad by police on August 15, 1968.  En 1968. Clarinada, agosto 2013, reports a Félix Balbuena Calzadilla committing suicide at Castillo del "Príncipe" prison of Havana after emerging from the punishment cells at  Oriente province.

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

Cause of Death: - Suicide/Alleged Suicide

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 - Jorge Francisco Balbuena Calzadilla