Elderly Man Hit by Bus in Havana After Falling From Vehicle

In a distressing incident this past Tuesday, an elderly man fell from a P6 bus in Havana, sustaining severe injuries to his leg, which was crushed by one of the bus's tires. The event, initially reported by the news portal La Tijera, took place on the bustling Cristina Street, between Arroyo and Matadero, near the Cuatro Caminos area.

Bystanders rushed to assist the injured man, pulling him from beneath the bus, applying a tourniquet to his leg to control the bleeding, and arranging for a car to transport him to the nearest hospital, as per the report from the source. Upon arrival, police instructed the bus driver to continue the route, dismissing the incident as inconsequential.

"How appalling is the value of a life in Cuba!" La Tijera remarked. Later updates from the source indicated that the man, identified as Nelson Brison Beaumont, a resident of Centro Habana, was hospitalized at Miguel Enríquez Hospital with both his tibia and fibula severely damaged.

Eyewitness Accounts and Social Media Outrage

Meanwhile, a social media user known as "Generosidad Cristiano Jerusalén," who witnessed the accident and assisted the victim, corroborated La Tijera's account. "The driver of bus #613 on the P6 route hit Mr. Nelson Brison at 6:43 p.m. on January 14, 2025, and fled the scene," he stated in a Facebook post.

According to Cristiano Jerusalén, "Nelson was robbed of his phone and pushed off the bus, and none of the other passengers showed any humanity, but rather the opposite... a lot of pain," he concluded. In a heart-wrenching video, the witness detailed the scene, lamenting the lack of compassion from most passengers and the bus driver, who were primarily concerned with continuing their journey rather than helping the injured man.

Family's Plea for Justice

On Wednesday, a relative of the elderly man, identified as "Mory Cabrera Brison," expressed both gratitude and frustration on social media. “Thank you all for the well-wishes, my uncle is now with family at the hospital. I'm disappointed until I know some action has been taken against the driver, and we will push for that," she stated.

She also thanked independent media for "helping to spread the word about injustices and assist in locating aid, family, and friends of those affected."

Public Reaction and Debate

As of this report's closing, there are no further updates on the clinical progress of the injured man, but the incident has sparked a significant debate online. The lack of empathy and institutional accountability has drawn widespread criticism across social networks.

Comments range from blaming solely the transportation crisis for the incident, absolving the driver, to condemning the behavior of both the driver and passengers as inhumane and unacceptable. "The blame lies with those in charge for the lack of transportation in the capital. It's impossible to travel even to work. It's not the driver's fault nor the man's desperate attempt to get home," one user argued.

Others criticized the police for their indifference: “That officer who told the driver to leave, saying nothing happened, is disrespectful. Isn't the victim a human being?”

Some defended the driver, suggesting he was trying to avoid leaving anyone stranded since buses are infrequent: "But in the end, the poor driver will pay for this chain of blame," someone commented. There were also voices blaming the injured man for hanging onto the bus.

“It's all the result of a failed government system,” another person asserted, pointing to the root of the problem. The lack of resources, the indifference of authorities, and the erosion of human values are part of a harsh reality that Cubans face daily.