More and more Cuban motorcyclists avoid going out at night for fear of being robbed.

En medio del creciente temor que experimentan los motoristas cubanos al caer la noche, surgen preocupaciones cada vez mayores sobre la seguridad en las calles. La delincuencia, que ya ha cobrado la vida de varios conductores, ha llevado a algunos a reconsiderar la viabilidad de circular después de las 7:00 pm o en áreas solitarias.

According to reports collected by the independent website CubaNet, drivers expressed their anguish over recent violent robberies, with attackers not hesitating to resort to extreme violence to steal motorcycles.

"We're already afraid to go out at night. We can't go anywhere because we're afraid they'll steal our motorcycle at a traffic light. The issue isn't that they'll steal it. The problem is that they steal your motorcycle and stab you, they slash you with a machete, and they're not just one, they're a bunch," said one of the drivers interviewed.

The easy sale of motorcycles on the black market, fueled by the lack of registration, has exacerbated the situation. Some drivers point out the difference with cars, which generally have documents. The lack of papers and license plates on electric motorcycles makes them easy to dismantle and sell clandestinely.

More vulnerable

"Almost all cars have papers, but electric motorcycles hardly have any, and almost none have license plates. They can easily dismantle them and sell them. The motorcycle's registration stamp is easily removed, and you can replace it with another stamp," another driver explained.

Faced with this growing problem, motorcyclists have urged police authorities to take measures to ensure street safety and pursue criminals. However, some expressed distrust in the police's effectiveness and pointed to the need to also address the drug problem.

"The force of law enforcement is seen when it affects a particular institution. If it doesn't, nothing happens, and that's what we're experiencing now. The only way to see the action is if it affects a state institution," one of the hosts emphasized.

In a call for solidarity, Cuban motorcyclists have urged unity in the face of the unstoppable rise in robberies. While some have suggested forming groups to tackle crime independently, others distrust the effectiveness of the police and advocate for collective action.

En eventos recientes, se reportó el trágico asesinato de un hombre de 51 años en La Habana, Walter Mulgado, padre y abuelo, a manos de criminales que buscaban robarle su motocicleta. Otros incidentes, como el asalto a una mujer en San José de las Lajas, han dejado claro que la inseguridad afecta a diversos puntos del país, generando una creciente preocupación entre la comunidad de motoristas.