For over two years, Armando Antonio Calvo Forte, an 83-year-old retiree residing in Naranjal Norte, Matanzas, has been battling to receive compensation after his car was completely destroyed by a state-operated truck. The vehicle, a yellow Skoda Octavia, was rendered useless after being crushed by a concrete mixer truck from the Empresa de Paneles Prefabricados y Premezclado de Matanzas. Shockingly, this truck had been operating without technical inspection since 2019.
Alina Bárbara López Hernández, a historian and activist, brought Calvo Forte's plight to light via Facebook, highlighting a series of institutional failures that he describes as intentional deprivation.
A Devastating Incident and Flawed Investigation
The unfortunate accident took place on February 26, 2024, when the truck, with significant mechanical issues, collided with Calvo Forte's parked car outside his home. According to Calvo Forte, the truck had faulty brakes, air tank leaks, and brake hoses tied with wire, among other deficiencies. This assessment was confirmed by police technicians.
From the outset, the response from authorities seemed biased. At La Playa police station, officials drafted a report without taking Calvo Forte's statement. Moreover, an official from the involved company, known as Eliecer, attempted to coerce him into signing it, but he refused. For weeks, Calvo Forte was denied access to the complaint number necessary to hire legal representation. It was only through the intervention of Major Osmani, the station's deputy chief, that he was able to file his claim — complaint number 3536/24.
Legal Battles and Delayed Justice
An evaluation by the state enterprise Inter Mar S.A. determined that the vehicle was 57% damaged overall, with significant structural and mechanical impairments. Consequently, the car was officially decommissioned.
The legal proceedings commenced on August 28, 2025, at the Municipal Court of Matanzas. Despite company officials admitting the truck's poor condition, the court's ruling — Judgment No. 39 of 2025 — held only the driver, Luis René Caballero Caballero, accountable. He was ordered to pay two million Cuban pesos, approximately $4,000 at the time, absolving the company of any liability.
Further complicating matters, Calvo Forte did not receive the court ruling until late October 2026, over a year later, due to alleged power outages preventing document printing. When he offered his own portable power station to expedite the process, his help was refused.
Bureaucratic Roadblocks and Economic Strain
With the ruling finally in his hands, Calvo Forte approached the Ministry of Justice's Compensation Office, only to be told they could not proceed as the necessary "Notification on Compensation" had not been received from the court. Meanwhile, the continuous devaluation of the Cuban peso erodes the real value of the compensation.
Calvo Forte, who relies on his pension and cares for his bedridden 62-year-old daughter, expressed his frustration, saying, "As an 83-year-old man, with no source of income beyond my pension and a sick daughter to care for, I feel abandoned by laws that fail to protect me and by indifferent officials."
Alina Bárbara López Hernández, herself facing a legal battle with a potential four-year prison sentence due to her activism, suggests a grim motive behind the delays: "Given Armando's advanced age, I believe they are stalling to see if he passes away before receiving his compensation."
Complaints about institutional neglect of Cuban retirees have surged recently. A survey by the organization ASIC among 506 retirees found that 99% felt their pension was insufficient for basic needs like food, housing, and medicine, and 98.8% felt abandoned by the state.
Understanding the Impact of Institutional Failures in Cuba
What led to the destruction of Armando Calvo Forte's car?
Calvo Forte's car was destroyed when a state-operated concrete mixer truck, which had been operating without technical inspection, collided with it while it was parked outside his home.
Why has Armando Calvo Forte not received his compensation yet?
Calvo Forte has not received his compensation due to bureaucratic delays, including the court's failure to send the necessary notification to the Compensation Office and other institutional hurdles.
What is the broader issue facing Cuban retirees?
Many Cuban retirees feel neglected by the state, with pensions that fail to cover essential expenses, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and reports of institutional neglect.