Public Safety Under Scrutiny: Broadcaster Laritza Camacho Highlights Public Frustration Over Rising Crime in Cuba

In the wake of a series of violent incidents—including thefts, assaults, and a police response that borders on indifference—Cuban broadcaster Laritza Camacho has raised serious questions about the long-held myth of public safety in Cuba. She argues that violence is becoming a norm, and people are increasingly losing faith in the justice system.

Some might argue that issues like femicides, drug use, street gangs, and scams have always existed, gaining visibility only because of social media. However, Camacho insists on focusing on the violence she directly witnesses. “I’m only talking about what hasn’t reached me through networks, about the violence that beats beside me, beside you, and grows ever worse,” she posted on her Facebook profile.

Without mincing words, Camacho listed recent assaults on people she knows, all occurring within a week: a neighbor had his phone stolen and was run over by a motorcycle, a woman was robbed of her groceries while in line, two individuals were injured in an attack, and a friend was robbed at home.

In the latter case, Camacho recounted, “A security guard saw the thief enter, a patrol car passed by…he informed them that the thief was still inside...the officers said they couldn’t enter homes or even set up an operation outside...they just left.” Her account is filled with a mix of frustration and resignation.

Citizens Left to Defend Themselves

Camacho believes the nation is experiencing a violent crisis with no solution in sight. She highlighted the public's growing distrust of authorities: “Why should I go to the police? What will I solve?” This sentiment, she claims, is widely echoed on the streets.

More alarming, she noted that in the absence of state action, citizens are taking justice into their own hands. Sometimes, they resort to violence as brutal as the criminals themselves: “…you find that when it was enough to immobilize the wrongdoer, three or four become feral, kicking him, breaking cheekbones, attacking with as much fury as the thief breaking into a home.”

“Cubans... the game of cops and robbers is no longer an innocent childhood game,” Camacho declared. Judging by the reactions, no one disagrees. Dozens of users commented on her post, sharing similar experiences in an atmosphere of exhaustion, fear, and total distrust in the institutions.

State of Emergency in Cuban Society

Film critic Frank Padrón Nodarse emphasized, “A few years ago, when this began, and I denounced it on networks, I was insulted and accused of ‘arming the enemy’ (as original as always) and told that this was still ‘the safest country in the world.’ I wonder how they will defend such sophisms now.”

Cybernaut Dunia Morejón wrote, “This is out of control... I feel sorry for all of us on this island,” while María de los Ángeles Martínez bluntly stated, “You can’t even go out on the street, and the police are useless, they’re busy with other things,” and Narda Espinosa lamented, “The worst thing for a country is when its citizens are unprotected, and that’s how we are in Cuba.”

Music producer Iván Leyva went further, declaring, “The police are no longer friends of the people... we’re at the mercy of muggers, thieves, and murderers, and the police do nothing.” He believes law enforcement has lost its commitment to public safety.

“We’ll have to organize and form citizen defense brigades to confront these savages. It’s not ideal for people to take justice into their own hands, but if the state doesn’t act, people will have to find alternatives for their defense and security,” he warned.

A New Wave of Violence

Marcia Gasca believes the current situation surpasses even the dark 1990s: “We’re now in a new spiral of violence, thefts, and drugs like never before. But I don’t see any measures being taken.” She described young people in her building openly using a substance known as “chemicals,” leaving neighbors unsure of what to do.

Others, like Jorge Luis Sierra, point to a structural crisis: “Cuba is a country with an economic, moral, ideological, and ethical crisis.”

Camacho’s social media outcry confirms a common pattern in recent times in Cuba: extreme violence, sometimes leading to murder, committed to robbing victims. These incidents reignite the debate about the growing public safety crisis in Cuba, exacerbated by a severe economic depression and institutional collapse at every level of the state. This reality increasingly dismantles the long-touted claim of citizen tranquility as a trophy of the system.

Cuban musician Eduardo Longa, a prominent rock drummer, suffered severe injuries from a brutal assault while being robbed of his motorcycle and other personal belongings in Havana on a Sunday night.

In mid-May, medical staff was attacked at the Saturnino Lora Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, a direct act of violence against healthcare professionals in a setting that should be secured by protocols and a constant police presence.

Recently, a ninth-grade student murdered the administrator of the 27th of November Secondary School in Puerto Esperanza, Pinar del Río.

There are also reports of violent muggings targeting tourists in areas like Old Havana, alongside increased vandalism against transportation and assaults on drivers.

Moreover, videos increasingly document a silent yet visible crisis: the use of synthetic drugs among Cuban youth, particularly a substance known as “chemical.”

Additionally, a warning circulates on social media regarding a scam affecting travelers, especially Cuban Americans on the island: the theft of personal documents, such as passports or residency cards, followed by an “opportune find” when victims offer rewards for their return.

In the early months of 2025, various reports highlight how Cuba’s economic crisis has given rise to new criminal tactics, particularly in rural areas. In January, a report from Pinar del Río detailed a practice combining theft with extortion: farmers reported criminals were kidnapping domestic animals—like pigs—and demanding ransoms of up to 30,000 Cuban pesos for their return.