14ymedio, Havana, 13 August 2024 — Four people died last Saturday in a traffic accident in the city of Mayarí, in Holguín. Two of them died immediately, followed by the death of two women who were initially hospitalized after the crash was reported this Monday.The official journalist Emilio Rodríguez Pupo, who reported the fact, explained that the car, an old Chevrolet – known as an “almendrón” in Cuba – in which the victims were traveling hit a tree between the neighborhoods of Arroyo Blanco and El Solibano, in the town of Levisa, around 3:30 in the afternoon.
Yendri Saldaña Díaz, 40, and Alexander Santiago González Vera, 52, lost their lives instantly, and Yanet Rojas died hours later as did Maritza Paredes. Among the six injured were the two minor children of Yanet Rojas. Dailín Machado and Yurixan Ortiz Benítez are currently hospitalized.
The Chevrolet in which the victims were traveling hit a tree between the neighborhoods of Arroyo Blanco and El Solibano
So far, the two children are out of danger: Lisbeth Ávila Rojas, six years old, who had a fracture in her femur, and her brother Lázaro Ávila Rojas, eight years old. Both were admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Holguín. Meanwhile, Dailín Machado suffered head trauma, an occipital fracture, and is being evaluated for surgery. Yurixan Ortiz, 34 years old, has a fracture but is not in danger.
Many of the crashes that are reported on the Island occur because, as acknowledged by the Minister of Transport himself, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, some 75% of the roads are in poor or bad condition. The State has justified its nonexistent maintenance of the roads by referring to the low availability of raw materials and parts in asphalt factories. In addition, the country has a car fleet with a significant percentage of vehicles that have already been in operation for 40 to 70 years.
Some 75% of the roads are in poor or bad condition. The State has justified its nonexistent maintenance of the roads by referring to the limited availability of raw materials
According to the Transit authorities of the Ministry of the Interior, crashes on Cuban roads decreased in the first half of 2024 by 13% (543 fewer) compared to the same period last year, while the numbers of deaths and injuries fell respectively by 23% and 5%.
However, last year alone, 8,556 traffic crashes were recorded that left 729 dead and 5,938 injured. The authorities have stated that the main cause of accidents is the human factor, to which they attribute 91% of the mishaps. “The frequency and dynamics of the occurrence of traffic accidents in the country continues to be marked by the irresponsibility of drivers and pedestrians,” the ruling newspaper Granma said last January.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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