The official newspaper, Artemisa Diario, released a correction on Tuesday admitting a mistake in their report regarding a fatality in the traffic accident that occurred on Monday in San Antonio de los Baños. The adult initially reported as deceased is actually alive, though in critical condition.
The publication attributed this error to communication breakdowns with hospital centers.
"Due to a mistake in feedback with the hospital management where the injured from the accident on Monday, July 13, in San Antonio de los Baños are being treated, we incorrectly announced the death of an adult," the newspaper confessed.
Yanelys Amador Borrego, the provincial health director in Artemisa, clarified that the patient is "in critical condition, polytraumatized (with cranial trauma and a hip fracture), admitted to the ICU at Calixto García, stable and not life-threatening."
A relative of the patient confirmed to the media that he remains under medical care in a delicate yet stable condition.
Details of the Traffic Incident
The accident took place on the Vereda–San Antonio de los Baños road and involved a vehicle transporting young recruits from the Active Military Service returning to their unit after a leave.
Initially, the accident was reported to have resulted in one fatality, five critically injured, and nearly twenty others harmed. These figures have now been revised.
According to the updated report, 13 individuals are hospitalized at Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital: one is in stable critical condition in intensive care with closed abdominal trauma, two are under observation in Neurosurgery for closed cranial trauma, and 10 are being monitored with satisfactory progress.
Amador Borrego emphasized that none of the patients required surgical intervention.
At Iván Portuondo Hospital in San Antonio de los Baños, three adults remain under observation in the surgery ward. Dr. Osniel Enrique Pulido noted that "the patients are showing satisfactory progress."
Implications of the Official Acknowledgment
This public correction is unusual for the official Cuban media, where errors are rarely acknowledged openly. The fact that the accident involved military recruits adds a sensitive layer, given the history of secrecy surrounding incidents affecting military personnel.
Artemisa has witnessed several severe accidents in the past year. In May 2025, two recruits died in the Mariel Special Development Zone when a bus lost control. In July, a bus overturned on its way to Las Terrazas, injuring over 20 people. In September, a 16-year-old died in Las Mangas in a collision between a car and a motorcycle.
On a national scale, Cuba recorded 750 traffic fatalities in 2025, marking an 18% increase from the previous year, according to the National Road Safety Commission, which attributed 92% of accidents and 98% of fatalities to human error.
Understanding Traffic Incident Reporting in Cuba
What led to the erroneous report of a fatality in the Artemisa accident?
The erroneous report was due to a communication failure between the newspaper and the hospital management where the injured were being treated.
How many people were injured in the Artemisa traffic accident?
Initially, the accident was reported to have resulted in one fatality, five critically injured, and nearly twenty others harmed. These figures have since been corrected, with 13 individuals currently hospitalized.
Why is the public correction by Artemisa Diario considered unusual?
Public corrections are rare in the official Cuban media, where errors are not often acknowledged openly. The involvement of military recruits adds an additional layer of sensitivity, given the usual secrecy regarding military-related incidents.