Cuba Archive - Case 7105

Case ID: 7105

Title: N/A

First name: Owen

Last name: Delgado Temprana

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Owin Delgado Temprana

Age: 15

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:3 / Month:3 / Year:1981

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Santiago de las Vegas

Last known province-TOD: La Habana

Last known province current: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Hospital

Location of death - city: N/A

Location of death province - at TOD: Pinar del Río

Location of death province - current: N/A

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: Day:21 / Month:2 / Year:1981

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: State Security

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Entered the embassy of Ecuador on February 14, 1981 with 14 family members including his parents, all seeking political asylum. On February 21, 1981, a Special Forces team stormed the embassy and the family was taken to State Security Headquarters at Villa Marista, Havana. Owen was then brutally beaten, suffering blows to the face and head, with one ear nearly severed. He was transported to the Pinar del Rio hospital, where he lapsed into a coma and died two days later. His body was not returned to the family for burial. Several members of his family were sentenced to long prison terms.
The Ecuadorian government, including president Jaime Roldós, who was a collaborator of Cuban Intelligence, publicly insisted that Cuba stormed the embassy without authorization from Ecuador, but a defector from Cuban Intelligence has confirmed that the entry has been approved.
___________________
Ingresó a la embajada de Ecuador el 14 de febrero de 1981 con 14 familiares, incluidos sus padres, que buscaban asilo político. Una semana después, un equipo de las Fuerzas Especiales irrumpió en la embajada y la familia fue llevada a la Sede de Seguridad del Estado en Villa Marista, La Habana. Owen fue brutalmente golpeado, sufriendo golpes en la cara y la cabeza, con una oreja casi desprendida. Transportado al hospital de Pinar del Río, cayó en coma y murió dos días después. Su cuerpo no fue regresado a la familia para ser enterrado. Varios de sus familiares fueron condenados a largas penas de cárcel. El gobierno de Ecuador, incluido el presidente Jaime Roldós, colaborador de los servicios de inteligencia de Cuba, insistió públicamente en que Cuba irrumpió en la embajada sin su autorización, pero un desertor de la Inteligencia cubana confirmó que la entrada fue aprobada.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Extrajudicial killing: in exit attempt

Occupations: - Not in the labor force

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Attempting exit

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Owen Delgado Temprana