The son of a Cuban veteran who fought in Angola has publicly reported that his father's body has remained unburied for over 24 hours at Moa Cemetery, located in the Holguín province. The reason? The coffin is too large to fit into the designated resting place for veterans.
The veteran passed away on Tuesday at 11:40 a.m. His son, in a state of visible distress, recorded a video at the cemetery and shared it on Facebook. The footage captures the coffin and the family gathered, clearly overwhelmed by the situation.
"My dad died yesterday at 11:40 a.m. It's been 24 hours since he passed. I have him at Moa Cemetery and they haven't been able to bury him because the coffin is too big, and my dad was a big man," the son lamented in the video.
The family member explained that they were directed by authorities to the veterans' section of the cemetery, where the deceased had the right to be laid to rest, but none of the available graves could accommodate the coffin.
"No party secretary has come here, no one has come. I'm not a counterrevolutionary or anything like that, but this is a loved one I have in a box, and my dad is starting to smell," he expressed with desperation.
The grieving son held a specific official, identified as Chacón, accountable for the burial delay. "The person responsible for all this is Chacón, because my dad went to Angola to fight. My dad went to Angola to fight, and Chacón doesn't want him buried in the veterans' section," he accused.
This incident highlights a painful symbolic reality: the very regime that dispatched hundreds of thousands of Cubans to fight in Africa now fails to ensure a dignified burial for those who survived. During the period from 1975 to 1991, Cuba sent approximately 377,000 troops to Angola as part of Operation Carlota.
The situation in Moa is not an isolated case. The funeral services crisis in Cuba has worsened, with shortages of coffins, inoperative hearses, and delays exceeding 12 hours for transporting bodies.
In Holguín, where Moa is located, delays in funeral services have sparked public protests from desperate families. In December 2025, a coffin fell from a hearse in full view of mourners, and in Guantánamo, coffins with broken glass have been reported. This month, the cemetery in Las Tunas suspended burials due to total infrastructure collapse.
The neglect of Angola veterans by the Cuban state is well-documented. Their pensions range between 1,500 and 2,000 Cuban pesos per month, equivalent to merely five to seven dollars, insufficient even to buy a carton of eggs, which costs 3,000 pesos. Many live in severe poverty, lacking adequate access to medication and healthcare.
"Let the party, the government come here, because they will see my dad. Enough of the disrespect in this municipality," the family member demanded in the video, calling for a response from officials who, at the time of recording, had yet to appear.
Challenges in Cuban Funeral Services
What is causing the delay in the burial of the Cuban veteran in Moa?
The burial delay is due to the coffin being too large to fit into the veterans' designated resting area at Moa Cemetery.
What challenges are the families facing with funeral services in Cuba?
Families in Cuba are facing shortages of coffins, non-operational hearses, and significant delays in body transportation, often exceeding 12 hours.
How has the Cuban government responded to the crisis in funeral services?
There has been little to no visible response from the Cuban government regarding the worsening crisis in funeral services, despite public protests and documented neglect of veterans.