Cuba Archive - Case 6026

Case ID: 6026

Title: N/A

First name: Antonio

Last name: Llera Díaz

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Antonio Lleras Calderín, Antonio Llera Calderón, Fernando Llera Díaz

Age: 19

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:4 / Month:12 / Year:1946

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:16 / Month:4 / Year:1966

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: Calle Hermanos Ascención 19

Last known city: San Cristóbal

Last known province-TOD: Pinar del Río

Last known province current: Pinar del Río

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: N/A

Location of death - city: High seas near Cuba

Location of death province - at TOD: N/A

Location of death province - current: N/A

Location of death - country: N/A

Trial held?: No

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: No

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Antonio was serving his military service at a naval facility in Cabañas and was a crew member on a ship serving as a diesel motor mechanic. He had mentioned to his father in December 1965 that he and his friends would take advantage of any opportunity to escape Cuba.  He died in high seas when a group of young recruits attempted to hijack their torpedo ship LC 274 to flee Cuba to the United States (apparently a second vessel blocked the radar as part of their conspiracy to escape). The commanding officer, Lt. Silvio Caro, was shot and killed with his own gun, which he had reportedly left unattended. A struggle and shooting ensued, several sailors were injured or killed. Some were reportedly forced to jump into high seas and left there to die. The survivors brought back to shore were tried by a military tribunal and sentenced to death. A military officer went to Antonio's parents' home and told them he had committed suicide, but his body was not returned to the family for the funeral or burial. His family was never given an official account of the circumstances of death and the incident was surrounded in mystery. The remaining witnesses were kept in isolation until their execution, but over the years the family was told that Antonio had been shot during the crossfire and apparently thrown overboard and left to perish.
==============================================
Antonio estaba cumpliendo su servicio militar en una instalación naval en Cabañas y era miembro de la tripulación de un barco donde se desempeñaba como mecánico de motores diesel. Le había mencionado a su padre en diciembre de 1965 que él y sus amigos aprovecharían cualquier oportunidad para escapar de Cuba. Murió en alta mar cuando un grupo de jóvenes reclutas intentó secuestrar su barco torpedero LC 274 para huir de Cuba a los Estados Unidos (aparentemente un segundo barco bloqueó el radar como parte de su conspiración para escapar). El oficial al mando, el teniente Silvio Caro, fue muerto a tiros con su propia pistola, que, según informes, había dejado desatendida. Siguió una lucha a tiros, varios marineros resultaron heridos o muertos. Según los informes, algunos fueron obligados a saltar a alta mar y abandonados allí para morir. Los supervivientes devueltos a la costa fueron juzgados por un tribunal militar y condenados a muerte. Un oficial militar fue a la casa de los padres de Antonio y les dijo que se había suicidado, pero su cuerpo no fue devuelto a la familia para el funeral o entierro. Su familia nunca recibió un relato oficial de las circunstancias de la muerte y el incidente estuvo rodeado de misterio. Los testigos restantes se mantuvieron aislados hasta su ejecución, pero a lo largo de los años se le dijo a la familia que Antonio había sido herido durante el tiroteo y aparentemente arrojado por la borda y lo dejaron morir.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Extrajudicial killing: in exit attempt

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: mandatory military service - Attempting exit

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 628: Silvio Nestor Caro Gallardo

Case Record - Antonio Llera Díaz