An unofficially identified man of Cuban origin threatened to kill a Mexican journalist covering a fatal accident on August 14 in Cancún, Quintana Roo. The confrontation was recorded on video and quickly circulated on social media, sparking numerous reactions.
“Be careful filming me, be careful filming me or I will kill you,” can be heard from the man as he confronts the reporter in the middle of Bonampak Avenue, as reported by Heraldo de México Quintana Roo. Another version of the incident includes a second threat: “Delete whatever you have of me or I will kill you.”
The journalist continued recording and referred to the individual as Cuban, although no authority has officially confirmed his nationality so far.
"This man of Cuban origin, who is becoming arrogant with other people, with the other colleagues... he’s acting haughty, as always, not even in his own country," the reporter stated in front of the camera during the altercation.
The images show that the man was at the site where several journalists were covering the accident. There is no information to suggest that he had any connection to the driver involved in the incident.
The threat occurred precisely while the reporters were documenting a serious traffic accident that resulted in the death of a woman and at least two other people injured.
According to reports on the case, a white Honda truck was speeding down Bonampak Avenue when its driver lost control, mounted the central median, knocked over a streetlight pole, and traveled more than 50 meters before colliding with another vehicle near Plaza Península.
A woman who got out of the truck that was hit died at the scene, despite the paramedics' efforts to save her.
Local media reported unofficially that the driver who allegedly caused the accident is a Cuban doctor from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and that he was reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol. No authority has confirmed his nationality, profession, or that last circumstance as of yet.
It is also important to note that this is a different person from the man who appears threatening the journalist in the video, a relevant distinction given the spread of both stories surrounding the same event.
The attempt to prevent the cameras from capturing the alleged aggressor ended up having the opposite effect. While he threatened the reporter, others present also recorded the confrontation, which made it easy for the images to spread widely on social media.
So far, no formal complaint or legal actions have been publicly reported against the man for the threats.
The episode takes place in a particularly sensitive context for the Cuban community residing in Cancun, following other incidents involving citizens from the island that have sparked controversy and, at the same time, expressions of rejection that civil organizations have denounced as discriminatory.
One of the most notable cases occurred on May 28 in Supermanzana 23, when a Cuban citizen identified as Rigoberto "N" was accused of assaulting a Mexican during a dispute that arose from a bite by an unleashed dog.
The video of that confrontation went viral, and tensions escalated until about 200 people gathered outside the Cuban couple's home, where they threw stones and bottles. Both were later placed at the disposal of the National Migration Institute.
After the disturbances, the couple's home was severely damaged, while civil organizations such as CISVAC raised alarms about reports of discrimination against other Cubans who had no connection to the altercation, including cases of job and rental rejections, insults in public spaces, and signs with messages like "no Cubans allowed."
In light of this situation, the government of Quintana Roo requested to avoid reprisals and not to generalize individual behaviors towards the entire Cuban community.
The presence of citizens from the island in the state is significant and has also gained visibility due to the arrival of healthcare professionals. In February 2026, the IMSS-Bienestar program had 173 Cuban doctors assigned to rural areas of Quintana Roo, as part of the bilateral agreement supported by Claudia Sheinbaum's government, which maintains around 3,650 Cuban professionals distributed across 23 Mexican states.
The new episode once again places Cuban citizens at the center of public conversation in Cancun, but it occurs in a context where individual responsibilities and nationality must remain separate. The threats recorded in the video correspond to the behavior of a man whose Cuban origin remains unconfirmed, and cannot be attributed to the community as a whole, which in recent months has also reported episodes of hostility and discrimination.
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