Cuban musician Eduardo “El Longa” suffers severe injuries in brutal assault in Havana

The Cuban musician Eduardo Longa, an outstanding rock drummer, suffered severe injuries as a result of a brutal beating during an assault on Sunday night in Havana, intended to deprive him of his motorcycle and other personal belongings.

“El Longa,” as he is known in the Cuban music scene, has suffered multiple traumas due to the blows he received during the robbery, his friend, photojournalist Enrique de la Osa, reported on Facebook, sharing images that highlight the violence inflicted on the drummer, which could have cost him his life.

“The beating has caused severe trauma. Stitches inside the mouth, stitches inside the nose, a deviated septum, in addition to bruises on the arms and several fractures of the skull, that is to say, TO KILL,” revealed De la Osa.

"She doesn't remember if he was hit with a bat or stones. Sad," she lamented.

The assailants stole Longa's electric motorcycle, his wallet, his mobile phone, bank cards, and his protective helmet. The attack occurred around 3 a.m. after the artist left the Submarino Amarillo club in Vedado.

"The misery has been bearing fruit for a while now," De la Osa declared. In the publication, he requested support from friends in Cuba and Miami to assist the musician, primarily with medications. Those who wish to contribute can do so through him in the United States or through Giordano Serrano Werder, Yordi, in Havana.

Serrano also reported the attack on his social media account and pleaded for help in the recovery of his colleague and friend.

"Friends in Cuba or outside of it, I'm asking you for him that whatever medicine or any type of help you can send, please do so, and get in touch with Yenny Casanueva or through me, and I will pass it along," he requested.

In response to several people in the post, Serrano clarified that materials for wound care, anti-inflammatories, and pain medications are mainly needed.

The case has raised concerns and outrage among friends and acquaintances of the well-known drummer of the rock band Pyra, as well as many others, all alarmed by the rising violence and insecurity in the country.

The case repeats a common pattern in recent times in Cuba: acts of extreme violence, which even escalate to murder, to rob the victims.

“Crime has taken over the streets, Cuba is no longer safe. Where will we end up?”; “this is how we are all in danger, even of dying, these dogs roam the streets with total impunity,” were two of the comments following the unfortunate incident.

Such opinions illustrate the feelings of Cubans regarding this and the numerous assaults, robberies and crimes that occur daily on the island, putting its inhabitants at risk in a rising wave of crime that continues to gain momentum due to the ineffective and weak actions of law enforcement.

These incidents fuel the debate on the citizen security crisis in the country, exacerbated by the deep economic depression and the institutional collapse affecting all levels of the State.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Increase in Violence and Theft in Cuba