The Cuban regime launched a police operation in Santiago de Cuba and detained several citizens allegedly involved in the looting of a truck loaded with picadillo, which took place the day before on Avenida Martí, one of the city's main thoroughfares.
The information was confirmed this Tuesday by the social communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who reported on his social media that agents from the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) and members of the special troops known as black berets are patrolling the area in search of individuals who may have participated in the events captured in videos circulated on the internet.
"Strong operation by police and black berets on Avenue Martí and San Fermín. The police are looking for individuals who appeared in the videos of the picadillo. Several arrests have already been made," Mayeta published.
The incident took place on Monday, when dozens of residents from Santiago chased after a truck carrying boxes of ground meat and lost part of its load.
What started as an accident ended in a scene of mass looting, with people fighting over packages amid the desperation and fear of Hurricane Melissa, which threatens the eastern part of the country like a powerful cyclone.
According to witnesses, the situation spiraled out of control in seconds. "They even resorted to stabbing; people are out of control, hungry, and afraid of the hurricane," one of the neighbors told the reporter.
Now, the authorities are tracking the videos recorded by witnesses to identify and apprehend those involved.
The operation takes place in the context of a deep food and social crisis in Santiago de Cuba, where food shortages, power outages, and the fear of the impact of Melissa leave the population in a state of anxiety and despair.
The quote from an elderly woman, cited by the reporter, summarizes the daily struggle faced by thousands of Cubans: “This is not theft, it is hunger.”
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