The Cuban activist Yankiel Fernández reported having been attacked with a stone while walking at night along a busy avenue in Havana with his 11-year-old nephew, an incident that resulted in injuries to his hand and damage to the vehicle they were in.
He also founder of the Aliento de Vida project, reported this Sunday on Facebook that the attack occurred on Friday at around 10:10 PM on Avenue 51, near the Military Technical Institute (ITM).
"Dios did it again, He freed us from the clutches of the enemy and diverted that huge rock that was thrown at my head," Fernández began recounting, assuring that he had initially thought about keeping quiet about what had happened.
According to their testimony, two individuals threw a stone at them while they were walking through that area of the capital.
Fernández stated that he could not gauge the size of the object, but that the impact shattered the switch, the brake, the mirror, and other parts of the vehicle.
The blow also hit his left hand. "I've gone two nights without being able to sleep due to the excruciating pain," he stated.
The activist emphasized that the attackers continued to throw stones despite the presence of the minor in the vehicle.
Fernández linked what happened to the darkness of the streets, the deterioration of urban conditions, and a growing sense of insecurity that, in his opinion, has spread throughout the country.
"Today I am writing these lines because Cuba has also become an unsafe place for me," he stated.
He also questioned the authorities' ability to curb crime and stated that "we, the citizens, are no longer safe."
The activist was even more critical when noting that he could have lost his life due to the impact: "History was not going to absolve me; I would only have been just another number in the death toll from assaults."
The complaint generated numerous reactions from people expressing concern about insecurity.
Horrible what is happening in Cuba. They do not confront the police, they assault their peers, and nothing happens," commented a user.
Another person stated, "We are unprotected, we can't even go out into the street," while a third comment assured that "the streets are no longer safe" and advised avoiding nighttime travel.
One testimony caught particular attention because it claimed that this type of attack would not be isolated in the capital.
“Here in Vento starting from night there are gangs that throw stones at everyone who passes by. And there’s not a single police patrol to stop and pursue those criminals,” wrote one person.
Attacks with stones against people and vehicles have already led to reports in other parts of the country.
At the end of 2025, drivers reported stone throwing incidents against vehicles on a road in Camagüey, where even a bus with passengers was hit while passing through the Curva de Ignacio.
The episode also takes place against a backdrop of increasing concern about violence and crime.
In June, a report warned about the growth of youth gangs in various neighborhoods of Havana and other areas of the country, a phenomenon linked to the economic crisis, poverty, and the proliferation of synthetic drugs.
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