Havana Residents Speak Out on Multiple Hit-and-Run Incident in Their Neighborhoods

On Monday morning, Havana woke up to a tragic and unprecedented event: a car plowed through several streets in Centro Habana and Habana Vieja, hitting nine people, including minors, according to reports gathered by CubaNet. A 35-year-old woman lost her life in the incident, while the other eight injured individuals remain hospitalized under medical care.

The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) released an official statement confirming the event, describing it as "regrettable" and asserting that the driver, a foreign national, has been apprehended. However, the lack of detailed information regarding the driver's identity and the circumstances surrounding the incident has led to uncertainty and frustration among local residents, who have shared their own accounts and details of what transpired.

The Path of the Red Audi

Sources suggest the vehicle involved was a red Audi, reportedly driven by a Cuban-American, though this has not been officially confirmed. According to eyewitnesses, the car traveled the wrong way down Reina Street, headed towards Galiano, and struck several people along its path.

One man on a pedicab was hit, and his tricycle was left in ruins, a scene captured in a video shared on social media. "This guy came up the avenue, turned, and went straight for a pedicab and a motorcycle, knocking them to the ground. He made a U-turn, continued up Galiano, and in front of a snack bar, he hit a young girl or boy," recounted a man in a video shared on Facebook by CubaNet. Further along, the driver reportedly ran over two more individuals and, at El Curita park, destroyed the pedicab, hit another woman and a young girl, and continued the wrong way down Galiano toward the Malecón.

Another witness claimed the driver seemed to be acting indiscriminately: “They say he was hitting anyone on the street in the early morning hours.” The apparent chaos and violence led some to speculate that the driver might have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol, although this has yet to be confirmed by authorities.

Community Outrage

In the affected neighborhoods, emotions are running high, with residents expressing a mix of anger, fear, and disbelief. A woman recalled that the incident occurred between 1 and 2 a.m. Neighbors are also criticizing the lack of clear information and official silence.

While state media like Juventud Rebelde and Cubadebate merely repeated the MININT's brief statement, social media has seen a proliferation of rumors and personal accounts. Havana, a city where traffic accidents are not uncommon but rarely reach this magnitude, is reeling from the multiple hit-and-run incident.

A City on Edge

The official narrative holds that the driver is in custody and under investigation, yet Habaneros demand greater transparency. As the injured remain hospitalized and the investigation continues, this event has deeply affected the communities of Centro Habana and Habana Vieja, where residents are still grappling with the aftermath of this terrifying night.

"With the accidents happening every day, you have to be on the street with four eyes, and even that isn't enough to stay safe," noted a woman from Guantánamo online. "This is terrorism, as it was an act committed with the intent to harm, to kill, anywhere in the world," emphasized a young man.

Although the MININT has not confirmed this version, several residents insist that minors are among the injured, heightening community outrage. Speculation continues about whether the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, though no official information has been released.

"There's a lot of drugs in Havana and not enough police. At that hour, they should be patrolling, and the security cameras should be working, but it seems like nothing functions anymore," criticized one internet user. "That wasn't a random accident, it was premeditated, life imprisonment. Any of us or our children could have been passing by at that moment," stated another.

Fear and Distrust in the Neighborhoods

Residents agree that the incident reflects not just an isolated accident but also the pervasive sense of vulnerability on Havana's streets during the early hours. The absence of clear information from authorities maintains tension in the neighborhoods where the hit-and-runs occurred.

While the MININT insists the case is under investigation, questions linger: Who was the driver really? What drove him to speed through several blocks, hitting pedestrians? What accountability will institutions assume in the face of an event that has brought mourning and grief to Havana families?

At present, eight of those injured remain hospitalized in the capital's medical centers. Meanwhile, residents of Centro Habana and Habana Vieja continue to express their indignation and sorrow, awaiting convincing explanations from authorities about an incident that has shaken the entire city.