Héctor Ruiz, a 61-year-old mototaxi driver, passed away on Tuesday after five days in critical condition following an attack by unknown assailants who struck him on the head with a stick, stole his motorcycle, and left him severely injured.
The incident occurred in the early hours in front of the Santa Marta Combined facility, in the municipality of Cárdenas, Matanzas province.
The case was reported by content creator Christian Arbolaez on his Facebook profile, who regularly covers events in Cárdenas and Matanzas.
“Héctor Ruiz was 61 years old and was a strong, hardworking man who made a living by riding motorcycles. Today, unfortunately, we have to speak of him in the past tense,” he wrote.
The attack and the hospital odyssey
The assault occurred around five in the morning, when Héctor was waiting for customers at the usual spot for mototaxis and electric tricycles in the area.
According to Arbolaez, the attackers "hit him on the head with a stick, stole his motorcycle and all his belongings, leaving him seriously injured."
He was first transferred to the Julio M. Aristegui Villamil General Teaching Hospital in Cárdenas, where the family reported that he was not even given an X-ray because the equipment has been out of service for months.
That same afternoon, he was sent to the Faustino Pérez Provincial Hospital in the city of Matanzas, where he remained intubated and on life support until his passing.
"It hurts to think that a man who went out to work to earn an honest living was unable to return home," lamented Arbolaez.
A family that sought to stay united
Héctor and his wife, Nancy Ríos, had lived for years in Cabaiguán, Sancti Spíritus province, but moved to Santa Marta to be closer to their only son.
"They wanted to be closer to him and share this stage of their lives together. They never imagined it would all end this way," wrote Arbolaez.
The communicator concluded his post with a demand that encapsulates the feelings of hundreds of Cubans: "That what happened be investigated, that the circumstances of this crime be clarified, and that those responsible be held accountable before the law."
Humberto Concepción, a neighbor and classmate of Héctor, also reflected on the tragedy on Facebook.
“Cuba has hit rock bottom, ladies and gentlemen, nothing is respected, nothing motivates, life is worth nothing... where is public safety?”, questioned Concepción.
Outrage and demand for justice
The case sparked a wave of reactions, many from people who knew the victim.
Neighbors remembered Héctor as "a calm man, very respectful, a good friend, an excellent father, and a very good neighbor."
Others nostalgically recalled the lost tranquility: "The Santa Marta where I was born was a place where you could sleep with the doors open. In the one now, if you fall asleep, they open the doors."
The police inaction drew much of the criticism: "In the evening, the police hide. They know they need to increase surveillance after dark, and you don't see a single one."
A commentator recounted their own tragedy: "Five months ago, my only nephew, who was just 40 years old, was killed for the tricycle he used to make a living. We are still waiting for justice to be served."
Matanzas, the most violent province in the country
The crime of Héctor Ruiz is part of an unprecedented escalation of violence. According to the Cuban Observatory for Citizen Audit (OCAC), murders in Cuba increased by 42.9% in the first half of 2026, rising from 63 to 90 cases.
The lethality of the crime nearly doubled, rising from 5.23 to 10.35 deaths for every 100 reported crimes.
Matanzas topped the provincial ranking for the first time in the three most serious categories: 18 murders, 21 assaults, and 155 thefts between January and June.
But assaults on owners and drivers of motorbikes and tricycles to steal their vehicles have occurred in multiple provinces: in August, a young man was murdered in Palmira, Cienfuegos, during a violent robbery to steal his electric motorcycle; in February, three men were sentenced to life in prison in Santiago de Cuba for killing a motorist to steal and then sell the parts of his motorcycle.
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