Dozens of young people line up near Santa Catalina Avenue in Havana, anticipating summer activities announced for June 8 at La Finca de los Monos. Videos shared on social media depict chaos as people run and scream, with several engaging in physical fights. Some brandish machetes, and others lie injured on the ground. Police eventually arrive, but rumors of deaths circulate despite government denials. This incident, which even state media addressed, has reignited debates about the increasing violence on Cuban streets.
Independent outlets frequently report on violent crimes, including a case from Campechuela where a young man’s mutilated body was found by relatives, criticizing police ineptitude on Facebook. Other incidents involve two youths in Camagüey who murdered a man to steal his electric tricycle, a life sentence for a man who killed a farmer for livestock, and a deadly brawl at a Jerry La Bandera concert.
Amidst Cuba’s severe economic crisis, perceived violence is also rising. Lawyer Nelson González, with over 30 years in the judicial system, acknowledges the difficulty of obtaining crime statistics but notes the undeniable perception and nature of increasing criminality. He cites a decline in societal values and economic hardship impacting all life aspects, despite claims that violent crimes have always existed.
Historically, the Cuban Revolution boasted social security achievements. Fidel Castro repeatedly claimed Cuba was the world’s safest country. Platforms like Numbeo still rank it among the safest in the region. Political scientist Arantxa Tirado’s assertion that Cuba remains the safest in the Western Hemisphere sparked debate among Cubans online about the current sense of communal insecurity.
A digital survey by Cubadata in 2022 found that 61% of respondents had experienced some form of violence or crime, yet only 14.6% reported it to authorities.
The Cuban government has consistently denied any violence increase. President Miguel Díaz-Canel claimed there are no disappearances or murders in Cuba. A government official blamed social media for amplifying visibility of crimes previously hidden, suggesting internet access rather than actual crime rates fuels the perception of increased violence.
Given the lack of state avenues for reporting crimes and perceived inefficiency of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), Cubans turn to social media to document crimes. Gender observatories independently track femicide victims, highlighting a growing issue often concealed by authorities. In 2023, 89 femicides occurred, nearly triple previous years. The Cuban government resists enacting comprehensive gender violence laws or disclosing femicide data, despite calls from activists and comparisons to countries with larger populations like Spain, which had 22 femicides in 2023.
Read the full article in English on elpais.com, using Google Translate.
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