Yoel Pérez Tabares, one of the 32 Cuban nationals killed during the United States' intervention in Venezuela to capture dictator Nicolás Maduro, has been identified by a victim of repression in Cuba as an officer directly involved in political persecution.
This revelation was shared by journalist Mario J. Pentón on the social media platform X, where a Cuban citizen recounted being summoned, interrogated, and threatened by the Revolutionary National Police (PNR) in October 2020 after being accused of posting an anti-Revolution sign.
According to the account, the individual was questioned for over three hours, monitored by State Security for six months, and detained again on July 11, 2021, during the anti-government protests that shook the island.
The Cuban national claims that the repressive actions were orchestrated by then-Captain Yoel Pérez Tabares, whom he identifies as the officer who summoned, interrogated, and threatened him with imprisonment, while persistently surveilling him and his family.
"Those were days of anguish for my family," he recounted, highlighting that regime agents even visited his workplace to discredit him, nearly costing him his job. Out of fear of retaliation, he states that he was forced to create an anonymous social media profile to express himself freely.
The accuser holds Pérez Tabares directly responsible for the psychological and emotional trauma endured by him and his family, resulting from months of intimidation, threats, and constant fear.
Upon learning of the officer's death in Caracas, the affected individual expressed not joy, but a "personal satisfaction" in confirming the identity of one of his oppressors in Cuba.
This accusation reignites the debate over the role of Cuban military and agents deployed in Venezuela, many of whom have been officially labeled as "collaborators" or "heroes," yet carry backgrounds of political repression within the Island.
"They are not heroes. They are oppressors," Pentón's message concludes, a phrase that encapsulates the sentiment of numerous victims of the Cuban repressive apparatus as these new testimonies come to light.
Understanding Cuba's Political Repression and Its Key Figures
What role did Yoel Pérez Tabares play in Cuba's political repression?
Yoel Pérez Tabares was identified as an officer involved in political persecution, orchestrating interrogations, threats, and surveillance against those accused of anti-Revolution activities.
How has the death of Pérez Tabares in Caracas impacted the discourse on Cuban military involvement in Venezuela?
His death has reignited discussions about the presence and role of Cuban military personnel in Venezuela, highlighting their backgrounds in political repression in Cuba.