Cuba Archive - Case 775

Case ID: 775

Title: Sargento

First name: Gilberto

Last name: Mora Peña

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: Gilberto Peña

Age: 39

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:6 / Month:6 / Year:1920

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:6 / Month:3 / Year:1959

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: N/A

Last known city: Puerto Padre

Last known province-TOD: Oriente

Last known province current: Las Tunas

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Shooting field

Location of death - city: Holguín

Location of death province - at TOD: Oriente

Location of death province - current: Holguín

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: Yes

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: Capital punishment

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: Month:1 / Year:1959

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: Holguín Military Barracks

How long imprisoned/detained: Approximately 2 months

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

Member of the Constitutional Army of Cuba since age 18. He was a member of the Rural Guard in charge of the Army Barracks of San Manuel, near Puerto Padre, when it was attacked by Castro’s Rebel Army on Christmas Eve 1958. He accepted a truce to go to the location of his superior, in Delicias, but that station had been taken over by the rebels and all officers and soldiers captured.  In a summary trial by a makeshift 'tribunal' on January 27, 1959, he was sentenced to death together with several fellow members of the Armed Forces from the area of Puerto Padre. His appeal was to be heard in Holguín on March 5 but it was denied and he was executed that night, hours later. The family was told Raúl Castro had ordered no further delays in the execution of those who had been condemned to death. He was charged with murder and war crimes, which the family reports were false and of which no evidence was presented. He left a wife and 7 year-old son.
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Miembro del Ejército Constitucional de Cuba desde los 18 años. Era miembro de la Guardia Rural a cargo del Cuartel del Ejército de San Manuel, cerca de Puerto Padre, cuando fue atacado por el Ejército Rebelde en la víspera de Navidad de 1958. Aceptó una tregua para ir a la ubicación de su superior, en Delicias, pero esa estación había sido tomada por los rebeldes y todos los oficiales y soldados capturados. En un juicio sumario el 27 de enero, 1959 por un "tribunal" improvisado, fue condenado a muerte junto con varios miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas de la zona de Puerto Padre. Su apelación debía haber sido escuchada en Holguín el 5 de marzo pero fue negada y fue ejecutado esa noche, horas después. Le dijeron a la familia que Raúl Castro no quería más demoras en la ejecución de los que habían sido condenados a muerte. Fue acusado de asesinato y crímenes de guerra, que según la familia eran falsos y de los cuales no se presentaron pruebas. Dejó una esposa y un hijo de 7 años

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Execution: by firing squad

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: served Batista government

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 451: Aníbal Correoso - Case 1134: Oscar Guerra Amador

Case Record - Gilberto Mora Peña