A regrettable and embarrassing incident occurred this weekend on a street in Sancti Spíritus when a hearse dropped a coffin in the middle of the public road during the transportation of the deceased.
The incident was captured on video by witnesses and shared on social media by independent communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, generating a wave of outrage among users and once again highlighting the deficiencies in funeral services on the island.
In the images, it can be seen how several visibly upset relatives are forced to lift the coffin off the ground and carry it again by hand along the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, the hearse continues on its path without the driver noticing what has happened. As heard in the video, the coffin was nearly run over by another vehicle driving down the same street.
"Record this, so they know what's happening in Cuba! A car almost ran him over! What a lack of respect!" exclaimed one of the people present, feeling powerless.
The family returned the coffin to the deceased's home, where later the funeral staff returned to continue with the transport, amidst the annoyance and indignation of those present.
So far, it is not known whether the funeral entity responsible has provided any explanation or accepted responsibility for the incident.
This incident has highlighted the deterioration of basic services in the country, even during such sensitive moments as saying goodbye to a loved one. Users on social media lamented what happened and pointed out that even in death, the respect and dignity that every Cuban citizen deserves is not guaranteed.
A structural crisis in Cuba's funeral services
The recent incident in Sancti Spíritus, where a coffin fell from a hearse in the middle of the street, is not an isolated occurrence, but rather part of a series of events that highlight the progressive deterioration of funeral services in the country.
In May 2024, another coffin fell from a hearse on the busy Victoriano Garzón Avenue in Santiago de Cuba, lying in the middle of a crowded street. A few days later, the tragic scene was repeated, this time on 4th Street in the Santiago neighborhood of Mariana de la Torre.
In January 2025, in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, a group of Cubans had to carry a coffin by hand and walk to the cemetery due to the absence of a hearse.
The situation is worsening due to the shortage of operational funeral vehicles. In Ciego de Ávila, for example, only 8 out of the 19 available hearses in the province are operational, while the rest are out of service due to breakdowns or are in the process of being decommissioned.
The lack of fuel has also impacted funeral transportation. In February 2025, a government-aligned journalist reported the bureaucratic obstacles and the fuel shortage that nearly prevented the burial of his grandmother in Matanzas.
In Guisa, Granma province, due to the unavailability of a hearse, the family of a deceased individual had to improvise the transportation in a Flora and Fauna vehicle, without the minimal conditions for such a solemn event.
These events reflect a structural crisis in Cuba's funeral services, where the scarcity of resources, lack of maintenance, and bureaucratic hurdles impact the dignity during the most sensitive moments for Cuban families.
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