Luis Antonio Rodríguez Griñán thought only of his daughter, not of death: the bus with no brakes was speeding down the curves of La Farola, but he clung to the steering wheel and to the desire to come back.
On the afternoon of March 25, a Yutong bus from Ómnibus Nacionales that had departed from Maisí heading to Havana lost its brakes while descending one of the most dangerous stretches of Cuban geography, and thanks to the bravery of this man, everyone arrived at their destination safe and sound, recalled the official newspaper Venceremos.
In silence, without alarming the passengers, the young driver decided that he could not let tragedy win. And he did not.
"I faced one of the toughest challenges a driver can encounter: the brakes failed to respond, but I had to keep going," Rodríguez recounted.
"When that happened to me going down, so many thoughts crossed my mind, though the first was my daughter, who is the love of my life."
In the midst of the descent, the bus began to pick up speed dangerously. This brave man, 31 years old and born in Puriales de Caujerí, San Antonio del Sur, remained steadfast.
He zigzagged with the steering wheel to counteract the pull of gravity and prevent the bus from losing control: on one side, the mountain rose vertically; on the other, the abyss yawned with no promise of a happy ending.
The silence in the cabin contrasted with the tension that gripped the passengers, who soon realized that something was not right.
The bus reached a tight curve and nearly overturned. Rodríguez put in all his strength, managed to straighten it, and kept going.
But the next curve was even more dangerous, and I knew I wouldn't be able to turn.
Then he made a desperate yet calculated decision: he swerved to the right and crashed the Yutong into the mountain; the bushes and vegetation halted the bus's progress.
"If I had made it to the next turn where I managed to stop completely, I wouldn't be answering all these questions," she confessed.
When the vehicle finally came to a stop, many passengers burst into tears and ran to embrace him: everyone was alive.
"Believe me, my friend, one thing is to tell it and another is to live it," he said.
Images of the vehicle that crashed into the underbrush quickly went viral on social media, and comments shared a common sentiment: the miracle was due to the driver, who acted with calmness and responsibility, without raising any alarms or causing panic.
Rodríguez never considered another profession because since he was a child, on every trip to his hometown Puriales, he dreamed of being on the other side of the steering wheel—a calling that was born out of his admiration for the well-dressed and uniformed drivers.
Today, it operates the longest national bus route of Ómnibus Nacionales, between Havana and Maisí, and was one of the first to complete that journey when the route was extended to the city of Maisí.
Despite the scare, he assures that he is not afraid of the hill: "For those who enjoy driving, any challenge they face is always enjoyable. I’ll soon be going again on the trip from Havana to Maisí. I’m heading back to the hill if God permits."
Rodríguez saved the lives of his passengers without seeking fame or medals. He did it for his daughter. And for that unwavering will that drives many Cubans to keep moving forward, even when everything seems to be in decline and without brakes.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Bus Incident without Brakes in La Farola
Who is Luis Antonio Rodríguez Griñán and what did he do at La Farola?
Luis Antonio Rodríguez Griñán is the driver who saved the lives of 45 people by maneuvering a bus without brakes during the descent down La Farola, one of the most dangerous roads in Cuba. He managed to control the vehicle and stop it, thus avoiding a tragedy.
What measures did the driver take to stop the bus?
The driver decided to crash the bus into the mountain to stop its progress, as the brakes were unresponsive. This action, although risky, was calculated and helped to avert a greater tragedy on a more dangerous curve.
What was the passengers' reaction after the incident?
After the bus came to a stop, the passengers broke into tears and ran to hug the driver, grateful for having saved their lives. Additionally, they expressed their gratitude both in person and through social media.
What lessons does this incident leave regarding road safety in Cuba?
The incident rekindles concern about the technical condition of the buses and the need for stringent preventive maintenance on dangerous routes like La Farola. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of the drivers' agility and skill to prevent tragedies.
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