Following the massive brawl among youths at Finca de los Monos this Saturday in Havana, the government has claimed that the incident was linked to an unapproved event. However, the event had been promoted by state television just last Thursday.
Araiz Torres, a worker at RTV Comercial as described on her Facebook page and associated with Klatus Creativo, an initiative that organized Habanarte at Finca de los Monos, promoted the event on television and shared the appearance on her social media profile.
“Habanarte, in collaboration with the Cerro government and the management of Finca de los Monos, is creating a series of events to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Finca de los Monos, and we will kick off this activity as part of the summer's start,” Torres said, clearly indicating that the Havana government was indeed aware of the initiative.
Klatus Creativo, a business with over four years of experience that “provides audiovisual and IT production services, advertising campaigns, events, and fairs,” organized the cultural activity.
Torres stated that the event would be aimed at adolescents aged 12 to 18, emphasizing the importance of offering them healthy environments. She also noted that there would be "spaces of interest" and other cultural offerings.
She explained that alcohol and cigarettes would be prohibited, and neither would be sold at the venue.
Despite these precautions, the massive brawl this Saturday between groups of youths resulted in terrifying images of gangs armed with machetes and individuals injured with bladed weapons, according to social media reports.
The incidents occurred around the area known as Finca de los Monos (Quinta de las Delicias) in the Cerro municipality of the Cuban capital, during what appeared to be a festive event organized by the Union of Young Communists to kick off their summer campaign.
“Youths from various gangs gathered at Finca de los Monos, where the UJC's summer kickoff event was taking place,” reported Facebook user Edmundo Dantés Junior.
Immediately, opinions and posts circulated claiming that the fight resulted in several fatalities. However, the Government of Havana denied on Sunday that any youths had died in the mass brawl.
Hours after the news went viral on social media and amidst the silence of official media, the government entity decided to release a statement on its Facebook page.
The statement dismissed the news of youth fatalities as false and explained that “the incident was related to an unapproved event where a disturbance occurred during movement to the exterior areas of the venue.”
Understanding the Incident at Finca de los Monos
Here are some common questions and answers that provide further context and clarity regarding the recent events at Finca de los Monos.
Was the event at Finca de los Monos officially approved?
No, the Havana government claimed that the event was not approved, despite being promoted on state television.
Who organized the event at Finca de los Monos?
The event was organized by Klatus Creativo, in collaboration with the Cerro government and the management of Finca de los Monos, to celebrate the venue's fifth anniversary.
What measures were in place to ensure the safety of attendees?
Alcohol and cigarettes were prohibited, and neither were sold at the venue. The event was also targeted at adolescents aged 12 to 18 to provide a healthy environment.
Were there any fatalities during the brawl at Finca de los Monos?
No, the Government of Havana denied reports of fatalities, stating that the news circulating on social media was false.