Alleged Thief Narrowly Escapes Mob Beating by Youths in Santiago de Cuba

An alleged thief narrowly avoided being lynched by a group of youths who detained and beat him in Santiago de Cuba, supposedly after he had committed a cell phone robbery. The incident occurred this Friday in the Vista Alegre neighborhood of the city. According to reports from neighbors sent to independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, the young man escaped more serious harm despite the beating he received from the youths riding motorbikes.

Amid cries of "thief and scammer," the motorcyclists assaulted the supposed criminal and stripped him of his clothes. A video sent to the independent journalist showed one of the aggressors holding a stone and the detained man bleeding from an open head wound.

"The alleged 'wrongdoer' managed to escape, running down the street in his underwear while another young man tried to chase him. The others told him to just leave it," Mayeta Labrada indicated on his social media, condemning the use of violence as a form of "justice" and advocating for authorities to intervene in such cases.

Rising Vigilantism Amid Socioeconomic Crisis

Scenes of neighbors and citizens catching thieves and taking justice into their own hands are becoming more common in Cuba, a country where crime rates continue to rise as the socioeconomic crisis deepens, impoverishing the population to unprecedented levels.

Sometimes, the anger caused by catching alleged thieves in the act exacerbates the indignation of neighbors, who, driven by rage, can inflict serious injuries on the detained individuals. However, most of the time, these incidents end with the alleged thief being tied up until the police arrive.

This was the case in mid-April when a young thief was caught red-handed inside a house in the Mantilla neighborhood while attempting to steal the residents' belongings. Neighbors tied him up to prevent his escape while waiting for the police to arrive.

Days earlier in Santiago de Cuba, a group of neighbors tied up a thief who allegedly snatched a cell phone in broad daylight. Images shared on social media showed the young man's anxious state, as well as what appeared to be a blow to one of his eyes, which was swollen shut.

At the end of April, a man who was nearly lynched by neighbors in Santiago de Cuba after being mistaken for a thief offered his version of events on social media, declaring his innocence and attributing the incident to a misunderstanding.

"I am a worker; it was a misunderstanding," said Ramón Moya Ramírez, who became the target of popular anger over an incident the crowd perceived as a robbery. The neighbors captured him, tied him to a post, and subjected him to violent treatment.