Fifteen years in prison for a man who attacked a motorcycle driver with a hammer in Matanzas

A man was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Matanzas for assaulting and beating a driver to steal his scooter, according to the state media Girón. The accused must compensate for the material damage caused to the victim.

The incident occurred on December 7, 2023, at the Agramonte passenger terminal in the province of Matanzas, when the assailant requested a ride on a motorcycle to Jovellanos and, during the journey, brutally attacked the driver with a steel hammer.

The victim stopped moving after being struck and fell to the ground, at which point the attacker continued to beat him before leaving him abandoned at the scene and fleeing with the motorcycle and a charger. Subsequently, the criminal made his way to the city of Cárdenas, where he was intercepted by two police officers. Upon being detained, the individual resisted and confronted the law enforcement agents.

The accused, about whom the media reports "a poor moral and social conduct" and that he "wandered around at night," was suspected of several criminal activities. At the time of the events, he was under the supervision of the execution judge of the Jagüey Grande Municipal People's Tribunal.

According to the information provided by the official media, he was sanctioned "as the perpetrator of a crime of receiving stolen goods to one year of imprisonment; for the crime of robbery with violence or intimidation against individuals, to 15 years of imprisonment; and for the crime of assault, to three years and six months of imprisonment. As a combined penalty, he was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment."

An alarming rise in violence in Cuba

The assault that occurred in Matanzas is yet another incident in the growing wave of violence plaguing the island, where similar cases continue to be reported, such as the brutal attack on an elderly woman in Camagüey, who was savagely beaten during a blackout to steal her cell phone. Although she survived, the case sparked outrage over the impunity of the criminals.

Another shocking crime occurred in Holguín, where two men were arrested after assaulting an elderly man and leaving him injured to steal his electric motorcycle. In Vertientes, Camagüey, a 54-year-old woman was shot to death inside her own home by a hooded attacker, while in Centro Habana, a young man was stabbed to death while trying to defend an elderly man who was being harassed by criminals.

These events have raised alarms about the increasing crime rate and insecurity in Cuba. Many citizens report that the authorities have not taken effective measures to curb the violence, while the country's economic and social crisis continues to worsen.

The increase in violent thefts, especially of electric motorcycles and cell phones, has become one of the primary concerns for the population, which increasingly feels more vulnerable in the face of crime.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Increase of Violence in Cuba