Nilda Díaz Santana dies during armed attack in Cárdenas
The 58-year-old woman died while trying to protect her daughter at a home in Merceditas, Matanzas; three other people were seriously injured.
Nilda Díaz Santana, 58, died October 2, 2026, at her home in Merceditas, a rural area of Cárdenas municipality in Matanzas. She tried to protect her daughter during a shooting and died at the scene, according to the Alas Tensas Gender Observatory, known as OGAT. The organization said three other people were seriously injured.
In OGAT's account, the daughter's former partner arrived armed at the family home. The organization said information about the attack and prior violence against the young woman came from relatives and community members. The daughter had moved with her children into her mother's home after ending the relationship. Nilda was shot several times when she intervened to protect her.
OGAT recorded the death as a femicide and said the alleged attacker surrendered to police the same day. The organization expressed condolences to the family and wished for the recovery of Nilda's daughter and the other relatives affected. The daughter and other family members were injured in the attack, according to the organization.
OGAT director Ileana Álvarez said the use of a firearm is unusual in the femicides documented by the organization in Cuba. She said it was significant because firearms remain uncommon in those cases. In its 2025 count, the organization recorded two firearm cases among 49 femicides.
With Nilda's death, OGAT raised its count of femicides in Cuba during 2026 to 57 through October 5. In the same tally, it recorded 27 attempted femicides and two killings of men in contexts of femicidal violence. Nilda's case was added after her October 2 death in Cárdenas.