On Wednesday, the trial was held for the hit-and-run that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Adrián Rodríguez García from Santa Clara, who was left abandoned on the road by the driver of the scooter that struck him on December 31, 2023. To the surprise of the deceased young man's family, the driver's defense is requesting a sentence of three to four years in prison, while the prosecution is seeking nine years (eight years for the hit-and-run and one year for abandoning a person in a vulnerable situation). Additionally, the driver is to be disqualified from operating vehicles and is being asked to pay 9,400 Cuban pesos (equivalent to 28 USD at today's exchange rate: 1 USD = 328 CUP) in compensation to the victim's family.
The victim's family left the courthouse completely shattered. This case is not just about reckless homicide committed by Robeisy Pedrozo Gómez, the driver who hit and killed Adrián Rodríguez. There is more to it. After running him over, he left him lying on the road and failed to provide assistance; he did not possess a driver's license at the time of the incident, and the authorities apprehended him six days after the crash while he was attempting to flee Cuba through José Martí Airport in Havana.
During the trial, the closest circle to the deceased young man experienced a very difficult moment as they witnessed the knowing glances and laughter between the driver accused of homicide and his girlfriend. They perceived not a shred of remorse from him. "It was as if he hadn’t killed a person, but an animal," commented a source close to the victim.
Adrián Rodríguez's family visited him on the very day he passed away. Four hours after leaving the military unit where the young man was serving, they received a call informing them that their son had died. They never understood why he was allowed to go out instead of being given permission to celebrate such an important date for Cuban families at home. The young man had already completed his mandatory military service, but he was punished and forced to stay for an additional four or five days. It was during that extended period that his life was taken. None of the military personnel from the unit have been investigated following the incident.
The young man who passed away was very religious. He always carried his Bible with him everywhere. His superiors in the unit found him difficult because he was very active. During his time in the military, he underwent an appendectomy, and four months after the surgery, a fellow soldier sat on him and forced him to do push-ups, according to testimonies from those close to him reported to CiberCuba.
Many young Cubans have lost their lives in the past year while serving in the military. One of them was Flavio Alonso Piedra, who was 20 years old and was set to turn 21 on August 24. He was found on his knees, with his neck thrown back and his eyes wide open. He had an AKM in his hands, but the unit claims he hanged himself with his belt. Those close to the young man did not believe the official version. The police have been investigating what happened.
Last June, another young man who was doing military service in Santa Clara committed suicide while being forcibly transferred to Matanzas. People close to the deceased claim that despite having medical reports advising against his entry into the military, he was drafted and transported from Santa Clara to Matanzas to work for six months in construction. During the journey, he informed his girlfriend that he wasn't going to any place. No one has taken responsibility for what happened.
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