A reckless "caballito" is captured in Cuba riding a motorcycle with a young woman sitting backwards and without a helmet

Images of the reckless spinPhoto © Video capture Facebook / ARC Noticias

A video posted on Facebook by ARC Noticias shows a young motorcyclist performing a dangerous nighttime stunt in Guanajay, Artemisa province, while transporting a young woman sitting backward on the motorcycle — back to back with the driver — without a helmet or any type of protective gear.

The clip, shared with the slogan "Guanajay Activo," captures the moment when the driver lifts the front wheel of the motorcycle — a maneuver popularly known as "caballito" — while the passenger, gripping onto him to avoid falling, is completely exposed to a potentially fatal drop.

The recording, taken at night on a road with vegetation on the sides, shows a low-displacement motorcycle with red LED lights at the bottom.

ARC Noticias shared the video critically, without hiding their outrage: "They publish this video on social media, with great pride. I leave it for you to ponder. Later, families crying, mothers crying".

The scene is not an isolated incident. In July 2025, a young man was arrested in Havana after going viral for performing similar stunts on Boyeros Avenue, without a license or registration and with a modified motorcycle to facilitate the acrobatics. The authorities imposed detention, a warning, and the obligation to remove the modifications from the vehicle.

The Cuban Road Safety Code —Law 109— mandates the use of correctly fastened helmets for motorcycle and moped riders and passengers, and penalizes reckless maneuvers on public roads. However, compliance is inconsistent, and the culture of sharing these "feats" on social media continues.

The statistical context makes the image in the video even more alarming. According to official figures released in February 2026, Cuba recorded 7,538 traffic accidents in 2025, resulting in 750 fatalities and 6,718 injuries.

Motorcycles and mopeds were involved in 63% of accidents, and authorities attribute 91% of the accidents to human factors: speeding, recklessness, and lack of helmets.

The province of Artemisa, where Guanajay is located, has witnessed several fatal accidents in recent months. A 16-year-old adolescent died in September 2025 following a collision between a car and a motorcycle in Las Mangas. Weeks later, a young woman from the same province passed away after 21 days in a coma as a result of a motorcycle accident.

The rise of motorcycles as a means of transportation due to fuel shortages and the decline of public transport has significantly increased accidents in Cuba, where the viral spread of reckless stunts on social media contributes to a culture of impunity that ultimately leads to tragedy sooner or later.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.