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A traffic accident that occurred on Martí Street in Palma Soriano, in Santiago de Cuba, resulted in the death of a woman and left a young man severely injured, according to reports shared on social media and by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada.
The fatal victim was identified as Mercedes de la Caridad Domínguez Rizo, 39 years old and originally from Contramaestre, who died at the scene.
The young man who was accompanying her was urgently transferred to a hospital in Santiago de Cuba, where he remains in critical condition.
According to comments on social media, it could be a young man known as "Yan Luis," although this information has not been officially confirmed.
The official causes of the incident have not yet been reported by the authorities, "but they were going at full speed," according to statements from neighbors.
The activist was linked to UNPACU
According to the report by Mayeta Labrada, Mercedes Domínguez was part of the opposition group "Félix Varela" in Contramaestre, connected to the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU).
According to testimonies, he took an active stance and even faced aggression due to his activism.
"According to testimonies from people close to her, she suffered physical injuries to her hand as a result of acts of violence against opponents in the area, episodes that neither stopped nor silenced her," reported Mayeta Labrada.
"Her activism was not mere rhetoric. It was documented on her own social media: a post from February 17, 2016, featuring the UNPACU flag on her personal profile, speaks of a woman who embraced her stance with identity and conviction, without hiding it," she added.
Conflicting accounts of the accident
The circumstances of the accident have not been clarified by the authorities, leading to contradictory reports.
Some initial reports indicated that the victims were detained when they were struck by another vehicle.
However, numerous testimonies from internet users and alleged witnesses point to a different cause, related to speeding.
"That wasn't a rear-end collision. They were coming at high speed and lost control," stated a user in the comments section of one of the posts about the incident.
"Nobody hit them from any side; they took that curve at a very high speed." "They weren't hit from behind; they were going up, and the accident happened in the curve." "Excessive speed, they went off the road and crashed into the pole."
A witness who claims to have witnessed the incident provided a more detailed description:
“The street was deserted… he lost control of the motorcycle, and his companion was thrown off, crashing head-on into a concrete streetlight pole.”
Warnings about the dangers of the location where the accident occurred are also being repeated.
"That curve is very dangerous; anyone who takes it at high speed without knowing it knows it can throw you off." "Several people have already died at that pole." "That Cubalse curve is very dangerous... many accidents have happened there," several users agreed.
The incident has generated a widespread reaction of sorrow on social media, where neighbors, friends, and acquaintances describe the victim as a close and greatly cherished person. “She was my neighbor, a wonderful person”; “A very cheerful and charismatic individual”; “She had two children and a home... how unfair life is”; “I think of your beautiful little ones… it pains my soul,” lamented some internet users.
As of the time this note was published, there is no official information regarding the causes of the accident, nor confirmed details about other possible parties involved.
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