The human rights organization Cubalex has reported the deaths of two inmates held in state custody at the Provincial Prison of Guantánamo, Cuba. These tragic incidents have brought to light severe issues regarding health and nutrition within the Cuban prison system.
Alfredo Poll Imber, aged 50, passed away on April 11 due to tuberculosis while serving an 11-year sentence at the facility.
The second victim, Ermis Bombu Moreira, aged 52, died on May 7 at the Provincial Hospital of Guantánamo after suffering from a metabolic coma, allegedly caused by starvation.
According to accounts collected by Cubalex, Bombu Moreira "was transferred from the prison in a critical state to the emergency intensive care unit of the hospital."
The day before his death, a court granted him a conditional release in a procedure conducted in the early hours, witnessed by a prosecutor.
Cubalex warns that "it is still unclear how long he endured starvation and what led to a possible hunger strike."
Pattern of Inmate Releases Before Death
This practice of releasing terminally ill prisoners shortly before their deaths follows a documented pattern. It allows the state to technically record the deaths outside of prison, thereby avoiding formal responsibility.
A similar case involved political prisoner from the July 11 protests, Luis Miguel Oña Jiménez, aged 27, who died in February this year, just days after being released under similar circumstances.
Dire Conditions in Cuban Prisons
For Cubalex, "these deaths occur under state custody and reflect the extreme inadequacy of sanitary, nutritional, and medical conditions in Cuban jails."
Tuberculosis has emerged as a frequent cause of death in Cuban prisons, exacerbated by severe overcrowding, medication shortages, and inadequate isolation of infected individuals.
The Boniato Prison in Santiago de Cuba reported numerous deaths from this disease between February and March 2025, with an active outbreak reported in Bayamo prison in May of that year.
Starvation and Its Deadly Impact
Malnutrition is also a critical issue. Organizations like Prisoners Defenders have documented food rations amounting to just 500-700 calories per day in Cuban prisons, compared to the World Health Organization's recommended minimum of 2,100 calories.
In February, a riot at Canaleta Prison in Ciego de Ávila erupted due to extreme hunger. Independent reports noted at least seven deaths and thirty injuries.
State's Accountability in Prison Deaths
The alarming rise in deaths under custody in Cuba is not new. In 2025, Cubalex recorded at least 34 deaths in detention centers, averaging nearly one death per week.
The organization stresses that "the Cuban state has an obligation to ensure the life, health, and physical integrity of all individuals deprived of liberty," a responsibility they believe is consistently neglected by the regime.
The Crisis of Health and Nutrition in Cuban Prisons
What led to the deaths of the inmates in Guantánamo?
The inmates, Alfredo Poll Imber and Ermis Bombu Moreira, died due to tuberculosis and starvation, respectively, highlighting severe health and nutritional deficiencies in Cuban prisons.
What are the conditions like in Cuban prisons?
Cuban prisons suffer from extreme overcrowding, lack of medical supplies, inadequate isolation for contagious diseases, and severe malnutrition, with food rations far below international health standards.
How does the Cuban state handle terminally ill prisoners?
The Cuban state has been documented releasing terminally ill prisoners shortly before death to avoid formal responsibility for deaths occurring in custody.