Visitors passing through the Quesada crossroad, situated on the Central Highway approximately eight kilometers east of Ciego de Ávila city, have taken to social media to report a surge in thefts, assaults, and attacks at this mandatory stopover. They accuse officers of the National Revolutionary Police of standing by idly, seemingly in collusion with the criminals.
The most recent complaint came from Danilo García, who posted in the Facebook group "ACCIDENTES BUSES & CAMIONES por más experiencia y menos víctimas!" He recounted being personally robbed at this location while at least six officers stood just 50 meters away with a jeep and a patrol car at their disposal.
García reported that the officers merely told him, "You'll have to go to Ciego to file a report; we can't do anything here."
"Robberies and assaults at the 'infamous' Quesada crossroad are becoming more frequent and violent every day," García wrote, also accusing local street vendors of acting as accomplices by distracting travelers long enough for the thefts to occur.
He concluded his post with a stark warning to those traveling this route: "Do not stop there, especially at night, even if you see 100 police officers at the crossroad. Don't buy anything. If you must stop, never leave your vehicle unattended, even for a second, as they are experts at breaking into cars in seconds."
The comments on García's post reveal an organized and chronic pattern. Yordan Dominguez shared how years ago, his car trunk was opened in the same spot around 5:00 am, and when he chased the thieves, he found the road blocked with stones.
Additionally, he noted a UAZ jeep stationed at the crossroad "to mislead drivers into making the obligatory stop," at which point the thieves would strike.
Alfredo Martinez bluntly stated, "this has been happening for years at that location, and no one does anything about it."
Former trucker Freddy Domínguez echoed these sentiments, saying, "In Quesada, it's always the same story, robberies and assaults right in front of the police; they are complicit with the criminals."
The issue is not new. On February 1, 2023, six thieves attacked a Transtur bus at the same crossroad around 7:10 p.m., stealing passengers' luggage.
A victim who attempted to chase them was pelted with stones, and the responding police refused to pursue the culprits, claiming they couldn't leave their patrol car unattended.
This pattern of police inaction is evident elsewhere in the country. In August 2025, criminals stole bags from a Transtur bus on the Vía Blanca while it was stopped at a traffic light, using a crowbar to break into the luggage compartment.
In March 2025, three individuals were caught attempting to steal luggage from a La Habana-Camagüey route bus; one was hiding inside a suitcase in the vehicle's compartment.
The insecurity in Ciego de Ávila is part of a nationwide crime crisis of unprecedented scope. The Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory recorded 721 thefts in the first half of 2025, surpassing the total counted in 2024 and nearly five times the figures from 2023, with the central province among the hardest hit.
Understanding the Crime Surge in Ciego de Ávila
What are travelers experiencing at the Quesada crossroad?
Travelers report frequent thefts, assaults, and attacks at the Quesada crossroad, with accusations of police officers being complicit by not intervening.
How have local authorities responded to these incidents?
Authorities at the scene have been criticized for inaction, with some travelers claiming they were told to file reports elsewhere and that police presence does not deter the criminal activity.
Has this issue been ongoing?
Yes, testimonies indicate that the problem has persisted for years, with organized patterns of crime being reported repeatedly in the same location.