A Cuban mother took to Facebook on Thursday to express her frustration after her son was prevented from entering his university campus with a bicycle. This bicycle was the only means of transportation the family could afford through significant effort, ensuring the young man wouldn't have to walk the entire distance daily.
Odanelys Abreu García shared on the social media platform that her son arrived at the university as usual on his bicycle, but the access staff refused to let him in with it. They suggested he leave it "by the side of the road," a suggestion he quickly rejected due to security concerns.
Consequently, the young man had to return home, leave the bicycle behind, and then rush back to the university on foot to avoid being late for his classes.
"This morning, my son went to the university like every other day on his bike, which I managed to buy second-hand with great effort so he wouldn't have to walk anymore. Today, he returned drenched in sweat to leave it and had to walk back because they wouldn't let him pass with the bicycle," the mother recounted.
The situation resulted in the student arriving at the university "soaked in sweat and unable to eat properly," as Abreu García, evidently upset, described.
The mother also included a link in her post that might hint at a reason for the day's events, given that President Miguel Díaz-Canel was visiting the Scientific-Technological Park of Matanzas on the same day.
The incident carries additional emotional weight, as the mother revealed her son was a victim of bullying when he was younger. "Anyone who knows my son knows he has special characteristics and was bullied and abused when he was small, and now this," she wrote. "I call this abuse."
This episode occurred just two days after the 2026-2027 university academic year began in Cuba on September 1, amid a crippling fuel and transportation crisis that has brought the country to a standstill.
The irony is glaring: while the collapse of public transportation forces thousands of Cubans to rely on bicycles as the only feasible option, some state institutions enforce internal restrictions that bar access with bicycles without providing secure parking alternatives.
"How far are we going to go," Abreu García concluded.
Key Questions on Cuba's Transportation Challenges
Why was the student denied entry with a bicycle?
The university's access staff did not allow the student to enter with his bicycle, suggesting he leave it unsecured by the road, which he refused for safety reasons.
What challenges are Cuban students facing with transportation?
Cuban students are struggling with a severe transportation crisis, exacerbated by a lack of fuel and public transport options, forcing many to depend on bicycles as their primary mode of transport.
What broader issues does this incident highlight?
The incident underscores the contradictions in Cuba's infrastructure policies, where vital transportation alternatives like bicycles are hindered by institutional restrictions, despite the public transport system's collapse.