Alas Tensas raises verified femicide count in Cuba to 60 for 2026
The observatory confirmed the case of Marili Reina Fajardo, 45, whose body was found in Habana del Este on October 21; the organization called for the crime to be clarified.
The Alas Tensas Gender Observatory raised the number of femicides it has verified in Cuba during 2026 to 60 after confirming the killing of Marili Reina Fajardo. The 45-year-old was found dead October 21 in Brisas del Mar, Habana del Este. The organization reported that her body showed signs of extreme violence and sexual assault.
According to Alas Tensas, Fajardo left her home in La Lima, Guanabo, to work as a domestic employee but did not reach her destination. Her body was found that day in Brisas del Mar. The observatory said she performed different jobs to support her family in addition to domestic work.
Alongside Fajardo's case, the organization records 23 possible femicides from 2025-2026 and 38 attempted killings connected with gender-based violence. It distinguishes those possible cases from the 60 it considers verified in the current year. The figure was updated when Fajardo's killing was added.
Observatory director Ileana Álvarez called for the crime to be clarified and warned about violence against women in the country. In a statement distributed by the organization, she said the killing again exposed extreme violence against women in Cuba and the urgent need for gender-sensitive investigations.
Álvarez's appeal concerns investigation of Fajardo's killing and handling the case with a gender perspective. The observatory added her death to its annual verified count while keeping separate records of possible cases and attempted killings. The update places her case among those the organization counts as verified in Cuba during 2026.