A man tragically passed away last Saturday at the junction of F and 11 streets in El Vedado, Havana, due to an agonizing delay in ambulance response, as reported by independent journalist Avana de la Torre on Facebook.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the man collapsed in the bustling public street, prompting nearby individuals to promptly contact emergency services. The ambulance's arrival was significantly delayed, and by the time it reached the scene, the man had already died.
Paramedics placed a sheet over the body and departed without taking the deceased with them.
The body remained on the sidewalk for several hours, surrounded by pedestrians, until the ambulance eventually returned to remove it.
A witness who recorded the incident stated, "It has been exactly two hours and forty minutes since the gentleman passed away, and he is still lying there. No one from the ambulance has even stepped out. Nothing has changed."
Cuban authorities have not provided any official statement regarding the incident, nor have they disclosed the identity of the deceased.
The Reality of Emergency Response in Cuba
Avana de la Torre criticized the situation, stating: "This is communist Cuba: people are completely unprotected, ambulances don't arrive on time, medications are unavailable, hospitals are in ruins, and the dictatorship continues to thrive on triumphalism, forced marches, lies, and empty grand speeches."
The activist further emphasized: "While they boast of being a 'medical powerhouse,' a Cuban dies on a street waiting for an ambulance that didn't arrive in time."
Recurring Failures in Medical Emergencies
This incident is not isolated. In April 2026, Alexis Rosales Aldama died in Santiago de Cuba after waiting over four hours for an ambulance, and his wife reported that the Integrated Medical Emergency System responded that "an ambulance does not save lives." Similarly, in January 2026, former police officer Yordanis Beltrán Beltrán, aged 42, died in the same city following a delay of more than two hours.
The crisis in Cuba's emergency medical system is well-documented and acknowledged by the regime itself. The Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, conceded in February 2026 to the Associated Press that the Cuban healthcare system is "on the brink of collapse," with ambulances lacking fuel and power outages lasting up to twenty hours daily.
The ministry admitted that in 2023, the ambulance system only met 39.6% of emergency demands.
In response to this collapse, the regime introduced just 25 electric ambulances in February 2026 for a population exceeding 11 million, a measure experts deemed insufficient.
Additionally, only 30% of basic medications are available in pharmacies and hospitals, and over 96,000 surgeries have been postponed nationwide.
The stark contrast with the official narrative is striking. While the regime has historically claimed to be a "medical powerhouse" and sends doctors to numerous countries, a citizen lay dead on a Havana sidewalk for nearly three hours without being collected.
Understanding Cuba's Medical Emergency Crisis
Why did the ambulance take so long to arrive in El Vedado?
The delay in ambulance arrival is attributed to the severe crisis in Cuba's emergency medical system, which is suffering from a shortage of resources, such as fuel and operational ambulances.
What actions have been taken to address the ambulance shortage in Cuba?
In an attempt to alleviate the situation, the Cuban regime introduced 25 electric ambulances in February 2026, but experts consider this a temporary fix given the country's large population.
How does the state of healthcare in Cuba compare to the government's claims?
Despite the regime's claims of being a 'medical powerhouse,' the reality is starkly different, with widespread shortages of medications and delayed medical services, as highlighted by recent incidents.