Havana/The Cuban economic crisis is not only reflected in the shortage of food, fuel and medicine. The disaster also translates into an increase in crime. This Friday, the United States Embassy in Havana issued a security alert on its official account on the social network X warning its citizens about an “increase in robberies and violent incidents” on the Island.
The warning comes at a particularly sensitive time for the population, with increasingly prolonged blackouts and inflation that has skyrocketed the prices of basic products. “The deterioration of economic conditions has caused an increase in robberies and violent incidents, including robberies with knives, minor assaults on mission vehicles and home invasions and theft of property,” details the diplomatic note.
The message includes a series of recommendations to avoid being a victim of crime: closing doors and windows at night, removing valuables from patios and balconies, keeping cell phones charged and not displaying cash in public places. The Embassy also advises “limiting alcohol consumption” and “never accepting drinks from strangers.”
Although the Cuban Government avoids openly recognizing the increase in violence and common crime, citizen reports and publications on social networks show a reality that many inhabitants live daily.
For months, users in different provinces They have shared testimonies about assaults on public roads, robberies in homes and attacks on drivers and passengers of private vehicles. The deterioration of citizen security is aggravated by fuel shortages and constant blackouts. Electrical outages, which in many places have exceeded 30 hours in a row, create conditions conducive to criminal acts.
The diplomatic headquarters in Havana maintains its telephone line active for emergency cases
Neither Cuba’s Interior Ministry nor the state press have published recent statistics on violent crime. The closest official figures correspond to previous years and are usually presented in a fragmentary way. The regime’s usual strategy has been to minimize the problem or attribute it to “media campaigns” from abroad.
However, even in the state-controlled media, signs of concern have indirectly crept in. Notes on police operations, warnings to the population and the insistence on “increasing popular surveillance” show that the authorities internally recognize a crime spike. “The blackouts are being used as a pretext for criminal activities,” the US Embassy directly warned, in a tone that contrasts with the silence of Cuban institutions.
The feeling of lack of protection does not only affect marginal neighborhoods. Central areas of the capital, traditionally considered safer, have also experienced an increase in robberies. Several diplomats and workers from international organizations have reported incidents in recent months, according to sources close to the foreign community on the Island.
Insecurity is closely linked to economic collapse. With rampant inflation, salaries in devalued pesos and a growing informal economy, crime has become a desperate way to survive for some. The Embassy’s warning not only calls for caution, it also instructs its citizens to “be good witnesses,” that is, observe details of appearance, clothing, vehicles and license plates if they witness a crime. This recommendation reflects an implicit recognition that incidents could increase.
The diplomatic headquarters in Havana maintains its emergency telephone line active and recalled that US citizens can contact their consular section to receive assistance.
