A Cuban who was intercepted by the police while transporting two people in his almendrón in Havana reported that he was fined 8,000 pesos for operating without a license.
The driver, identified as "Pablo Miguel," streamed live on Facebook the moment when two PNR officers, a man and a woman, were sanctioning him.
"Now in your private car, from your home, you can't pick anyone up off the street or anything.", protested the young man.
"They stop you and ask for the boat paper as if they were inspectors; that’s not what patrols are for,” the driver added.
“A fine for what? Because I haven’t violated any traffic laws or done anything wrong,” he claimed, pointing out that the patrol car that stopped him was number 255.
The driver, who did not succumb to the threats of being taken into custody, referred to the issue of fines in Cuba as a "mafia."
He also reported that gasoline is paid for at a gold price: “Now you have to drive around in your empty car when one buys oil at $1.10 for them.”
In the video, it can be seen that after handing over the ticket, the officers got into the patrol car and left at full speed.
Reactions on social media: Outrage and reports of police abuse
The case has sparked a wave of criticism on social media, with many Cubans denouncing the repression against private transporters and the corruption within the police. They are also demanding that if they do not want Cubans to engage in informal transportation, they should provide public transport.
"Let them provide buses and fuel, so we can see if we can travel"; "They don’t have transportation for the people, and they don’t want private individuals to do it either. What they want is money"; "They do it this way to see if you'll give them 5,000 or 10,000 pesos to avoid taking points off your license," commented some.
"The police are issuing fines to be able to collect"; "The real blockade is caused by them, it's an organized mafia"; "If the fine is 8,000, you give them 4,000 and that's it. That's how the country works, with corruption at all levels," others expressed.
"And why don't they do something about the criminals, the thieves, and those who sell drugs on the streets?", questioned one of the hundreds of internet users in the video, which has gone viral in recent hours.
Several users advised the affected individual to bring the video as evidence to the prosecutor's office, although many agreed that complaints in Cuba are often futile.
The transportation situation on the island remains critical, with a shortage of buses, endless lines, and high prices in the private sector. Many believe that the repression of the taxi drivers only exacerbates the mobility crisis in the country.
In recent days, it has become known that there is an offensive by inspectors hunting for irregularities in the rental transportation sector.
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