Former Cuban consul in Galicia convicted for attack on human rights activists
The former Cuban consul in Galicia, Yahima Martínez Millán, has been convicted by the Spanish Justice, in absentia, for the attack on two human rights activists in July 2022, according to Martí News, who had access to the judicial documentation.
The Court of Instruction No. 2, of Santiago de Compostela, ruled in favor of the plaintiffs Vania Coelho and Avana de la Torre and condemns the former Cuban diplomat as “perpetrator criminally responsible for a minor crime of injuries.”
The judge in the case has imposed a fine of 400 euros on Martínez Millán. Additionally, she was sentenced to compensate Coelho with 200 euros “for the injuries suffered” and De la Torre for the damage suffered to the telephone that was taken from her.
Coelho expressed her satisfaction with the result of the trial of the Cuban consul. She stated, “It is not so much because of the compensation, but because justice has been done. The Cuban dictatorship believes that it has immunity, that it can act as it wants and wherever it wants, and justice has been done.”
According to her, this is “a very great message for Cubans,” demonstrating that “we must denounce every time there is an abuse of this type.”
For Avana de la Torre, it is a trial “won by the Cuban people.” She acknowledged that the Spanish law did not give it the political connotation she had hoped for, but it is a ruling “in favor of the Cuban people” which “will serve as a precedent” for holding a consul accountable.
The condemned events took place on July 26, 2022, when several activists placed flowers and shouted phrases against the Cuban regime at a bust of José Martí in Galicia. The Castro consul attacked two participants.
Shortly after the incident, before completing her mandate, Martínez Millán was removed from her position and returned to Havana. Neither Madrid nor Havana have commented on the issue, according to Martí News.