Not even the script of a communist social comedy could have been written better. A patrol from the Revolutionary National Police (PNR) got stuck in a puddle this weekend on a street in Havana, and the images spoke for themselves.
A video shared on Tiktok by the user coloraodt showed two officers, barefoot and with rolled-up pants, pushing the official vehicle as if it were an old cart stuck in the mud.
The recording, which sparked a variety of comments, revealed the indifference of the citizens watching the scene, none of whom lifted a finger to assist the MININT oppressors.
The patrol car, marked with the number 722, appears to be a Peugeot 301, a model that has been widely used by the PNR in Cuba in recent years.
This model is characterized by its sedan body, front-wheel drive, and a simple design, but it is not exactly ideal for navigating deep puddles, as evidenced by the images of uniformed officers battling the harsh conditions of the capital's infrastructure... and their own means of transportation.
The scene generated mockery among Cuban internet users, who rarely come across videos on social media that allow them to unleash feelings they usually repress for fear of being investigated and punished by the totalitarian regime.
For now, it is unclear whether the incident was reported to high police command or if, at the very least, the officers received rubber boots for future aquatic missions.
The truth is that the scene made it clear that, in Cuba, law enforcement operates against the tide, whether that of the prevailing public sentiment or that created by rain falling on streets without proper drainage, riddled with potholes and sinkholes, which ultimately leads to deluge-like scenes reminiscent of the Ark—sorry, I meant patrol 722.
Stumbles on wheels in times of repressive priority
The scene of patrol car 722 being pushed by hand in the rain is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a long list of episodes that highlight the conditions — and contradictions — of the police vehicle fleet in Cuba.
In recent years, the patrols of the Revolutionary National Police have been involved in numerous accidents, many of them serious. In July 2024, an Immigration patrol was involved in a triple accident in Villa Clara. Two months earlier, in May, another police vehicle was involved in a multiple collision, also in that province.
In April, a patrol collided with a tourist vehicle on the national highway. And in February, images of an accident in Havana that claimed the life of an officer were released.
Also in November 2023, a patrol car crashed into the wall of the Malecón in Havana, in another incident that raised questions about the technical condition of the vehicles and the training of the drivers.
Despite these recurring events, the Cuban regime has continued to prioritize investment in its fleet of patrol vehicles, as evidenced by the arrival of a new batch of police vehicles in September of that same year.
Meanwhile, public transport on the island is on the brink of collapse, with broken buses, canceled routes, and endless lines. The streets, for their part, remain in poor condition, full of potholes, puddles, and impassable sections, with no signs of real investment in road infrastructure.
This disparity sends a clear message: the State does allocate resources to reinforce means of control, but not to improve mobility conditions for its citizens.
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