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A presumed criminal was caught trying to rob a moving truck on the outskirts of Camagüey, and ended up being tied to the back of the vehicle by the drivers themselves.
The fact, which has sparked intense debate on social media, has not been confirmed or commented on by the authorities, but the images and testimonies circulating online reveal a criminal phenomenon that many claim has been impacting cargo transportation in Cuba for years.
"Creole Spiderman caught in the act"
The photos that sparked the controversy show a man tied up with ropes at the back of a truck container.
According to multiple posts on Facebook, the individual was caught trying to access the load of the moving vehicle.
The act would have been thwarted by the drivers themselves, who decided to take justice into their own hands, tying him to the truck as a form of public punishment.
One of the first outlets to report on the case was the portal La Tijera, which described it in an ironic tone as a “feat” of the “road ninjas”:
"In today's 'Oskuristán,' the 'Spidermans' do not climb walls to do good, but rather to steal on the highways," the news portal pointed out sarcastically.
Meanwhile, in the Facebook group "Automobile Accidents in Cuba," the same content was shared with a warning message to transporters:
“The source of the truck thefts is Camagüey. They steal batteries, mirrors, fuel… anything that comes their way. Many drivers have had to face the consequences of these criminals, and the police say it’s self-theft. Who will bell the cat?”, questioned the internet user who shared the images.
Divided public opinion: Weariness and helplessness
The post has generated hundreds of reactions and comments that reflect the frustration of transport workers and citizens. Some, like one internet user, suggested extreme measures:
"I'll leave him tied up right there and take him around all of Cuba with drums and cymbals so everyone can see. In the end, since there was no theft, they’ll just give him a fine and let him go."
Others pointed out that the thefts in that area are not new.
“For over 20 years, this has been happening between Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey. They call it the ‘ninja zone’. Even the police have labeled it that way,” wrote a user who claimed to have lost goods on the same route without receiving a response from the authorities.
A driver stated that some truckers travel with bags of stones in the bed of their trailer for self-defense, and another former driver warned that many avoid driving at night in Camagüey.
"If we didn't go with two or three trucks together, we wouldn't make it. They dismantle you on the bypass," he asserted.
"Every time I see a police officer, they're completely engrossed in their phone. They should take their phones away during work hours," said a Cuban woman criticizing police inaction.
A national phenomenon without official answers
Despite the viral nature of the case, there is currently no official version from the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) regarding what happened.
There is also no confirmation regarding the identity of the alleged criminal, nor about what happened after being captured and displayed.
What is clear is that the phenomenon of the so-called "ninjas" is neither new nor exclusive to Camagüey.Drivers from all over the country reported similar incidents in areas such as Ciego de Ávila, Mayabeque, and Havana.
"My husband had his container opened at the roundabout in Ciego about a month ago. This happens every day. And when you report it, they say it was self-theft," a Cuban woman reported.
"We went to Havana to deliver merchandise. We stopped to ask for directions and two people were already getting in. The driver got out with a machete and they started fighting," said another witness.
Self-justice and distrust in institutions
The harshness of the comments reflects not only the frequency of the crime but also the growing distrust in the judicial system and the feeling of vulnerability among drivers, who often have to pay out of their own pockets for stolen goods or face penalties under the suspicion of staging thefts.
In that climate of impunity, it is not surprising that some citizens celebrate popular justice and that tying the alleged thief to the truck has been seen as a symbolic victory against a system that, in the opinion of many, neither protects the worker nor punishes the real criminal.
The arrest of the alleged thief, beyond the viral spectacle, reveals a deep fracture in social trust and a security crisis that neither testimonies nor official statistics seem able to contain.
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