Amid the severe transportation crisis affecting Cuba, a bus in Havana became the target of vandalism on Thursday, January 23, following a heated altercation between the driver and a group of students. The incident took place on bus 8445, assigned to route P-11, leading to the arrest of one of the individuals involved, according to eyewitness accounts and a post on the Facebook page "Reporte de Rutas en Tiempo Real."
According to this source, the bus began its journey collecting passengers as usual. However, during the trip, tensions escalated when a group of students engaged in a dispute with the driver. The situation intensified when, after a U-turn towards the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) station, one of the students threw a stone that struck the front of the bus.
"The student who threw the stone is currently detained at the PNR station," reported the aforementioned page, noting that the incident occurred at 3:24 pm. This event is not an isolated case in the Cuban capital. In April 2024, several public buses were vandalized after being pelted with stones during their regular routes.
The Provincial Transport Company of Havana reported three such incidents on different routes, including bus 9002 on Route A27, bus 8456 on Route A62, and bus 5500 on Route 55. That same month, bus 8412, which operates on route A58 starting in Boyeros and Bruzón (Plaza de la Revolución) and ending in Bahía (Habana del Este), was attacked with stones while passing through the Centro Habana municipality.
Additionally, in October 2024, students vandalized bus 523 on route P-9 at the FrutiCuba stop in Marianao, causing material damage.
Understanding the Transportation Crisis in Cuba
What caused the bus attack in Havana?
The attack was triggered by a heated argument between a group of students and the bus driver, which led to one student throwing a stone at the bus.
Is bus vandalism a common occurrence in Havana?
Yes, there have been multiple incidents of bus vandalism in Havana, with similar attacks reported in April and October of 2024.