HAVANA, CUBA, 1935 José Castillo Puentes was a Cuban man who came into conflict with government forces in 1935. According to archival descriptions, he was accused of killing Lieutenant Juan Álvarez during an armed confrontation between rebels and regular government troops. This accusation led to his being sentenced to death.
Execution photo
At the time, Cuba was politically very unstable. The country was going through a period of violent clashes between government forces and various rebel or opposition groups. Fulgencio Batista, who later became the Cuban dictator, already had significant influence within the military. His forces took part in suppressing armed resistance.
Castillo Puentes was subsequently executed by firing squad made up of soldiers loyal to Batista. A surviving photograph and video recording capture the execution itself: the condemned man stands in front of a wall while a group of armed soldiers points their rifles at him.
