Cuban Student Shares Her Experience with Spanish Fugitive Captured in Havana

"I'll never truly know if he ever intended to approach me inappropriately. That's something I'll never find out," Yoselyn García, a young mechanical engineering student in Havana, reflects on her encounter with Martiño Ramos Soto. This former Spanish teacher was sentenced to 13 years for sexually abusing a minor and was recently apprehended in Cuba after eluding capture.

Yoselyn's account has stirred reactions on social media and in Spanish news outlets, which are closely monitoring Ramos's fate. Currently, he is held in provisional custody on the island while his potential extradition to Spain is being processed.

The Initial Contact: A Message on Instagram

Yoselyn, an 18-year-old who agreed to model for him, shared the unsettling details of her interactions with the fugitive known in Havana as "Martín Soto."

She recounted how Ramos reached out to her via Instagram. "He mentioned that my profile appeared in his suggestions. I didn't reply because I hadn't seen the message," she recalled.

This approach aligns with what is known about Ramos's tactics while in Cuba: using social media, direct messages, and photography session proposals as means to connect with young Cuban women.

After not getting a response to his direct message, Ramos commented on one of her posts, inquiring if she did photoshoots. "I replied that it was a hobby, not a profession. He then told me he's an amateur Spanish photographer and asked if I would be interested in doing a photoshoot."

However, one of Ramos's early proposals set off alarm bells: he wanted her to pose in men's shirts without underwear. "I refused to take those photos," Yoselyn stated, establishing boundaries from the start.

The Photoshoot at the Napoleonic Museum

Eventually, they agreed on a session at the Napoleonic Museum, near the University of Havana. "I went alone around 10 in the morning and stayed with him until after noon. He was very respectful and kind. I couldn't have anticipated the type of person I was dealing with," she remarked, highlighting the contrast between his pleasant demeanor and his status as a fugitive for such a heinous crime.

After the session, they visited an ice cream parlor behind the museum. There, the man revealed that he lived nearby in El Vedado and had a comfortable financial situation allowing him to stay in Cuba longer.

Subsequently, Martiño Ramos suggested another session, this time with a gothic theme for Halloween, in a more secluded location.

A Troubling Second Proposal: A Shoot in Ruins

"He wanted to meet in a place that looked like ruins, deteriorated, to add a special touch to the photos," she explained.

The suggested location was Lenin Park, a wooded and largely deserted area outside Havana. "Nobody goes there," she asserted, highlighting the potential danger of meeting in such an isolated place. Although she initially agreed verbally, Yoselyn never set a date or showed up.

"I'm grateful nothing happened, but it could have," she reflected upon learning Ramos's true identity and criminal record.

After discovering Ramos's criminal history through a friend, Yoselyn sought to distance herself from his account and deeply regretted agreeing to the initial meeting. "This serves as a lesson for future collaborations," she concluded.

Community Reactions and Additional Testimonies

Yoselyn's story unleashed a wave of comments online, many suggesting that the Spanish fugitive may have attempted similar approaches with other young Cuban women.

One user commented, "I might be one of the many girls he reached out to, and he harassed me to the point of taking photos where I was, on the street, etc."

Another shared, "He messaged me once saying he liked my face, but I never replied because it felt off."

A young woman recounted that a friend was contacted by him through Badoo, noting that he was super polite and respectful.

Support for Yoselyn was evident in dozens of comments, along with advice to never attend such sessions alone. "Cuban women, don't trust foreigners too much; unfortunately, many see us as easy prey," one commenter warned.

An Ongoing Case: Extradition in Limbo

Martiño Ramos Soto was added to Spain's list of the ten most-wanted fugitives on November 24. His capture in Cuba made headlines in both countries, and he remains in provisional custody in Havana.

Ramos's extradition is still pending, with the Spanish government opting for diplomatic channels with Cuban authorities to ensure he serves his sentence in Spain.

Meanwhile, concerns grow over how long he was able to remain free on the island and the number of young women he might have interacted with under a false identity.

Yoselyn García's story, while fortunately not ending in tragedy, serves as both a cautionary tale and evidence of the real dangers many young women face on social media.