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Nine days have passed since Mairovis Valier Heredia, 35 years old, died after being struck in the early morning of August 25 on Galiano Street in Havana.
However, his family claims that they have not received clear information from the authorities regarding who is responsible for the incident.
The Ministry of the Interior only issued a brief statement on August 25th: it acknowledged that a "foreign resident" had run over nine people in Centro Habana and La Habana Vieja, resulting in one fatality and several injuries, and stated that the driver was in custody under investigation.
Since then, no details have been provided about his identity or the legal proceedings.
The family, which even went to a police station, insists that information is being withheld from them.
"They are hiding everything and we are waiting for a response, for justice to be served," expressed Danieyis Lamorú Heredia, sister of the victim and also injured in the incident.
The sister who escaped from the hospital to attend the wake
Danieyis, 41 years old, told El Estornudo that she was in the intensive care unit of Calixto García when a neighbor approached her and informed her that her younger sister had passed away.
Desperate, she tore off her IVs and left the hospital. "I ran out like a madwoman, begging for help to take me to the funeral home where they were mourning my sister," she recounted. A pedicab driver took pity on her and drove her to Calzada and K, in El Vedado, where she confirmed that Mairovis's body was there.
"He intentionally threw the car up at us."
On the morning of the incident, both were walking with a cousin and an aunt along Galiano. It was in the stretch between Neptuno and San Miguel where the red Audi surged toward them.
"The car hit us on purpose. I didn't get a good look at the driver's face" because it all happened very quickly," he stated.
The toll was devastating: her cousin ended up with a damaged kidney, her aunt underwent surgery for a broken jaw, and she herself had bruises on her face and legs. Mairovis did not survive.
The tragedy left three children aged 2, 5, and 17 orphaned. The young preschool teacher had arrived days earlier from Guantánamo to Havana to work and be close to her eldest son, who had just enrolled in the Camilo Cienfuegos military school.
Today, his mother and sister face the difficult task of caring for the minors amidst uncertainty and institutional silence.
"The children are asking for their mother, and we don't know what to tell them," expressed Danieyis.
In a video shared on social media, the elderly mother of the two stated: "I am suffering because that foreigner took my daughter's life from me and no one has come to tell me who he is, what car it was… Not a single form of support. I ask for justice, I demand the maximum penalty."
A case shrouded in secrecy
The silence of the authorities in the face of such a grave incident once again highlights the opacity with which the Cuban state handles public tragedies.
Beyond the personal pain of a family, the lack of information reinforces the feeling of impunity and the lack of citizen protection.
The story of Mairovis is not just that of a woman who lost her life in an absurd manner, but of a country where justice appears to be subordinated to the control of the official narrative, leaving victims in neglect.
The only information from the Ministry of the Interior mentioned that a driver ran over nine people in different areas of Centro Habana and Habana Vieja. According to independent media, it is believed to be a Cuban-American, but the authorities have not confirmed this.
Of the victims, it is known that a mother and her young daughter were transferred to Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital, while three others were admitted to Calixto García Hospital, where they were improving "favorably," according to medical statements to the official press.
But neither Mairovis's family nor the injured have received visits from officials or detailed information about the process.
In a country where access to justice is often influenced by political discretion, the lack of responses reinforces the perception of impunity and a state more concerned with controlling the narrative than with supporting the victims.
Mairovis's mother expressed it bluntly: "No one has come here to help me with the children."
The tragedy leaves three children without a mother and a family crying out for justice in an environment where personal pain is compounded by official indifference.
Beyond the shock of the incident, what underlies this situation is the absence of a transparent and responsive system towards citizens, which transforms an intimate tragedy into a symbol of institutional neglect.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hit-and-Run Case in Havana
What happened in the multiple accident in Havana?
On August 25, a foreign resident in Cuba hit nine people in Havana, resulting in the death of Mairovis Valier Heredia and leaving several injured. The victim's family denounces the lack of information from the Cuban authorities and demands justice.
What information has the Cuban government provided about the accident?
So far, the Ministry of the Interior has only issued a brief statement acknowledging the incident and the driver's arrest. However, the identity of the person responsible and details of the ongoing judicial process have not been disclosed.
How has this tragedy affected the family of Mairovis Valier Heredia?
The death of Mairovis has left three children orphaned and has plunged his family into grief and uncertainty. The family faces the challenging task of caring for the minors amidst a lack of institutional support and the pursuit of justice.
What demands do the mother and sister of the victim make to the authorities?
Mairovis's mother and sister demand justice and the maximum penalty for the person responsible for the accident. They criticize the Cuban regime for its lack of support and information regarding the case, and call for clarity on the identity of the driver and the vehicle involved.
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