A Cuban transporter alerted this Wednesday in the Facebook group "Transporters throughout Cuba" about a huge pothole at kilometer 232 of the National Highway that has already blown out his two front tires and warns that it could cost someone their life.
Adrián Llorente posted a nighttime photograph of the hole, where accumulated water, loose stones, and shattered asphalt are visible, along with an urgent message: "Please share so that this hole reaches some authorities. It is located at km 232 of the National Highway. Last night, both of my front tires blew out, and in my case, there were 17 drivers. This is going to lead to a tragedy. Measures need to be taken in a timely manner."
The complaint quickly received support from another driver who claimed to have suffered the same damage at the same spot while traveling to Camagüey: “When I was going there, I blew out both of my left tires in that same pothole, and there were 11 drivers in the same situation with me.”
A third transporter described an even more serious incident: he claimed to have broken the straps of the front fenders of his vehicle after falling into one of those potholes and nearly overturning while carrying 240 quintales. "Thank goodness I didn't flip over," he wrote, requesting that the report reach the responsible authorities.
Other drivers highlighted the extent of the deterioration. "The highway is riddled with potholes on both lanes. That's why it's impossible to drive at night. It's a danger to life," one of them warned. In the absence of solutions, some users have resigned themselves to the only alternative possible: "Get to know the road and proceed with caution."
The roads in Cuba have been abandoned for years. In September, a viral video showed drivers filling potholes with stones and rubble in order to continue their journey. In April of this year, a truck heading to Guantánamo overturned at kilometer 297 of the same highway after falling into a pothole that had been unrepaired for months. In August, a sinkhole that occupied almost the entire roadway was reported at the exit towards Artemisa, with no official signage.
The Ministry of Transport acknowledged before the National Assembly that in the first half of 2024, only 22.3% of the pothole repair plan was executed, with 12 out of 25 asphalt plants halted. By mid-2025, 75% of the country's roads were in fair or poor condition. So far in 2026, Villa Clara has produced only 35 tons of asphalt for potholing, with outdated plants and frequent shutdowns due to a lack of fuel.
Road accidents in Cuba recorded 750 fatalities in 2025, an 18.2% increase compared to the previous year, and in the first quarter of 2026, there were already 153 deaths and over a thousand injuries. Given this situation, Llorente's warning carries significant weight: "This is looking bad," wrote another driver, convinced that without urgent intervention, kilometer 232 will end up being the scene of a tragedy.
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