The Cuban police have apprehended the man responsible for violently attacking a woman in Campo Florido, Havana. Yidania Santos Peña, a 42-year-old mother of four, lost her left hand and four fingers on her right hand, and also suffered head injuries after being assaulted with a machete by her ex-partner on September 20.
The attacker, identified as Juan Enrique Jiménez Pacheco, is the father of Santos Peña's children. He was captured last Tuesday, five days following the attack, after evading the authorities by hiding in the wilderness near the family's home. The arrest was made possible due to the persistent pressure from Santos Peña's family.
"He went to my niece's father-in-law's house, and they called the police, who came and took him into custody. He's now in Alamar," Marileinis Ruz Peña, the victim's sister, told Martí Noticias.
Jiménez Pacheco had been serving a house arrest sentence for a prior assault. "He hadn't even finished serving his sentence for similar offenses—attacking her and mistreating the children. He had about two months left," explained Marileinis.
Family's Struggle for Justice
According to Marileinis, Jiménez Pacheco had a history of abusing and threatening Santos Peña, but she had never filed a formal complaint. After the brutal attack on September 20, the family attempted to report him at the Guanabo police station, but were mistreated and denied the opportunity to file a complaint.
During this time, the police provided no protection for Santos Peña while she was hospitalized. Her relatives took turns guarding her, as Jiménez Pacheco continued to approach the house. It was only after the family went to the police station in Alamar on Tuesday that they were finally able to file a complaint against him.
Since the arrest, Santos Peña has experienced a slight sense of relief. "She has been able to sleep since they caught him. She's still very shaken, but at least she can get some rest," her sister noted.