On the night of June 12, 1989, twin brothers Antonio "Tony" de la Guardia and Patricio de la Guardia received a call from Cuba's Ministry of the Interior (MININT). The minister wanted to see them, allegedly to offer congratulations as their birthday was the following day. However, upon their arrival, they were met with an arrest.
Ileana de la Guardia, the daughter of Colonel Tony de la Guardia, recounted this story in an interview with Tania Costa for CiberCuba. "They were arrested on the night of the 12th because they were called to the Ministry of the Interior under the pretense that the minister wanted to see them, supposedly to congratulate them," explains the neuropsychologist, who currently resides in Paris and serves as the president of the Concertación DFRENTE.
The following day, June 13, Ileana and her family were on their way to have lunch at her uncle Patricio's house when they discovered what had transpired. "We arrived to find all the weapons thrown on the floor and a search being conducted at Patricio de la Guardia's wife's house," she recalls. Simultaneously, regime agents were conducting a search at her father's residence.
The Arrest and Its Aftermath
Both brothers were taken to Villa Marista, the headquarters of the State Security in Havana, where they were detained during what became known as Causa Número 1 of 1989.
The fates of the brothers diverged dramatically. On July 13, 1989, Tony de la Guardia was executed alongside General Arnaldo Ochoa, Jorge Martínez Valdés, and Amado Padrón Trujillo. In contrast, Patricio de la Guardia received a 30-year prison sentence for failing to report his brother to superiors who were aware of the situation.
Ileana de la Guardia deems the accusation against her uncle as ridiculous. "Patricio's sentence of 30 years was for not reporting his brother for activities that we knew were authorized; it was all quite absurd," she remarks.
A Deceptive Prelude
For Ileana, the false pretext of a "congratulation" was no minor detail. Instead, it marked the beginning of a process aimed at tarnishing the accused's reputation before their execution. "It was a process designed to humiliate and degrade them from start to finish to justify the executions," she has stated in previous comments.
The neuropsychologist argues that beyond the official narrative of drug trafficking, there was a political motive: Fidel and Raúl Castro wanted to eliminate voices within the Armed Forces and MININT who, inspired by the Soviet Perestroika, advocated for systemic change in Cuba.
Tony de la Guardia was 51 years old at the time of his execution. His daughter has persistently sought justice ever since.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tony de la Guardia's Arrest and Execution
What was the official reason for Tony de la Guardia's arrest?
Officially, Tony de la Guardia was arrested under accusations linked to drug trafficking, but many believe there were political motives behind the charges.
How did Ileana de la Guardia find out about her father's arrest?
Ileana de la Guardia discovered the arrest when she went to her uncle Patricio's house the day after the arrest and noticed the chaotic search and seizure operations being conducted by the regime agents.
What were the consequences for Patricio de la Guardia?
Patricio de la Guardia was sentenced to 30 years in prison for not reporting his brother's activities, despite the fact that these activities were allegedly known and authorized by higher-ups.