The authorities in Matanzas detained a man accused of breaking into a house in Las Marías, in the municipality of Limonar, and firing multiple times with a speargun at a couple, according to reported the Facebook profile "Con Todos la Victoria," a page linked to the Ministry of the Interior in that province.
The alleged assailant, identified by the aforementioned source as Jordán C. P., reportedly entered the home without a word, driven, according to the publication, by "personal issues he had been carrying", and fired the weapon at the woman and her husband repeatedly.
However, the shooter missed all the shots and did not injure anyone.
"Death passed by that night: neither of them was injured," noted the official source.
An unusual weapon and a concerning history
The underwater fishing gun is regulated in Cuba as a weapon for limited use, permitted only in authorized maritime zones.
His use to attack people constitutes an aggravating factor under the Penal Code in effect since November 2022.
That the accused resorted to this type of device—more accessible than a conventional firearm on the island—reflects the improvisation of lethal means amid the rising violence in Cuba.
The official profile highlighted that the individual has a criminal record for assault, theft, burglary, and trespassing, and that despite this history, he remained at liberty prior to the attack.
The alleged assailant has been arrested. Authorities have indicated that these background details will be taken into account by the courts when issuing a sentence.
Citizen outrage and distrust in the justice system
The post sparked a wave of reactions. The most common comments called for severe sentences: "At least 30 years," "Life imprisonment," and "ZERO TOLERANCE," several users demanded.
Another focus of indignation pointed to the judicial system.
"What is he doing out on the street causing harm?" questioned a commentator, referring to the fact that the accused remained free despite his extensive criminal record.
Several users joked about the possibility of receiving a light sentence and returning to the streets soon, highlighting a widespread distrust in the effectiveness of criminal sanctions in Cuba.
Matanzas, the epicenter of violence in Cuba
The case occurs in a municipality and province that stands out for criminal violence in the country.
In Limonar itself, in mid-August, a man was shot dead in the rural area of La Ferte, an event that shocked the community.
At the provincial level, Matanzas topped the rankings for murders, assaults, and robberies in Cuba for the first time in 2026, according to the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC).
The public insecurity report for the first semester recorded 18 homicides, 21 assaults, and 155 robberies in the province — accounting for 26% of the national total — displacing Havana from the leadership that the capital has held for years.
Nationwide, the number of murders in Cuba rose by 42.9% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, increasing from 63 to 90 cases, while fatalities went up from 69 to 102.
The fatality rate nearly doubled: from 5.23 to 10.35 deaths for every 100 crimes. "In just one year, the lethality of documented crime increased by 97.9%: it practically doubled," warned the OCAC.
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