A woman, seemingly under the influence of the drug known as "the chemical," caused chaos on a street in Pinar del Río, Cuba, by assaulting passersby. A video shared on Instagram by user Felix Junior Baby captures the moment when a middle-aged woman strikes a motorcycle passenger. Fearlessly, she then stood in front of a truck, blocking its path for several seconds.
Two officers from the Traffic Police Unit approached her and attempted to communicate, but she responded by yelling and lifting her dress at them. Eventually, the agitated woman climbed into the back of a Lada car and only exited when the owner opened the door and forced her out. Before leaving, she smashed a carton of eggs that the driver had in the back seat.
Upon witnessing the chaos inside the vehicle, another police officer arrived and put her hands on her head in disbelief. Some online commenters suggested that the corner where the incident occurred is a known gathering spot for "chemical" users. However, others speculated that the woman's erratic behavior might stem from mental health issues rather than drug use.
"She broke the egg carton for the guy with the Lada, and with how expensive they are, my goodness," remarked one user. "The guy threw away the eggs; I would have thrown them in her face," a young man stated. "Why doesn't she just throw herself in front of a car? That's her shamelessness," another woman commented.
Several forum members criticized the police's inaction, noting the situation could have led to an accident. "This is a mental illness, and there are no pills for it, but what's worse is all the people laughing around her," a mother pointed out. "The real question is: why didn't the police take her away? But if someone stands beside her and shouts 'patria y vida,' a cop would immediately appear from under the truck and arrest them," another person added. "What I don't understand is that the police were there from the beginning of the video and did nothing," observed another viewer.
Understanding the Incident in Pinar del Río
What is "the chemical" referred to in the article?
"The chemical" is a street name for a drug that is believed to cause erratic and aggressive behavior in users.
How did the police handle the situation?
The police officers initially attempted to talk to the woman, but did not take further action to restrain or remove her from the situation, which led to criticism from bystanders and online commenters.
Could the woman’s behavior be attributed to mental health issues?
Some observers suggested that her behavior might be linked to mental health problems rather than drug use. This has sparked discussion about the need for better mental health resources.