Tragic Collision in Santiago de Cuba Involving Communist Party Jeep Leaves Three Dead, Six Injured

A devastating traffic accident in Santiago de Cuba on Thursday afternoon resulted in three fatalities and six injuries. The collision involved a state-owned jeep from the Communist Party and another vehicle. A brief video shared on social media highlighted the severity of the crash and showed the significant presence of patrols and authorities at the scene.

The incident occurred on a section of the National Highway between the municipalities of San Luis and Palma Soriano, specifically at the location known as Puente 4, as initially reported on Facebook by the Municipal Administration Council (CAM) of Palma Soriano. The official statement did not disclose the identities of the deceased or mention the injured.

Aris Arias Batalla, the head of Operations and Relief for the Ministry of Public Health in Santiago de Cuba, confirmed that six individuals were injured and transported to the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital. He also noted the presence of government officials at the crash site, where forensic experts and investigators are working to determine the causes of the accident. In a later update, Arias clarified that the injuries were classified as "green code," meaning they are not life-threatening.

Details Emerge About the Vehicles Involved

Journalist Yosmany Mayeta reported that the jeep, bearing the license plate B044 409, belonged to the Communist Party headquarters in Contramaestre. One of the vehicle's doors confirmed its ownership by the PCC. Mayeta also mentioned that the first secretary of the PCC in Contramaestre was traveling in the jeep and was reportedly among the injured, although this has not been officially verified.

The state of the second vehicle, a blue car, was so severe that it was impossible to determine whether it was state-owned or private, though it appeared to be a Russian model. Mayeta shared shocking images on social media that captured the accident's extent.

Witness Accounts and Speculation on Political Influence

Eyewitnesses described a grim scene, with occupants of the blue car trapped in the wreckage. "The pool of blood was vast... a woman lay lifeless, and others had bloodied faces. It was heartbreaking," recounted a young man who helped rescue the injured amid cries and distress.

Passengers on a local bus also recounted the impact's intensity. "The screams, the glass shattering, the crashes... I don't want to remember it. The people in the blue car were crushed as if by a machine," revealed another witness in a statement.

Mayeta suggested that the direct involvement of a vehicle linked to the Cuban Communist Party has led to a particularly discreet handling of the case. "In a country where censorship prevails even in death, the lives of citizens seem to weigh less than the Party's name on a plaque. While the people mourn their loved ones, those in power maintain silence," he wrote on Facebook.

He added, "In Cuba, even tragedies are filtered through political convenience... and death, when inconvenient, becomes a state secret."

The injured official was reportedly rushed to the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital, the main medical center in the province, for emergency surgery. His exact condition remains unknown, and there has been no official statement verifying or denying that the first secretary of the PCC in Contramaestre was indeed injured in the crash.

The swift arrival of high-ranking Communist Party officials at the hospital has created a noticeable tension among medical staff, security, and visitors in the midst of the secrecy and lack of information about the other injured individuals, according to a source from Washington.

No further details were available at the time of this report.