The Cuban regime has increased the number of injured individuals to six following a violent brawl that erupted this Saturday at the well-known Finca de los Monos in Havana. This information was made public on Sunday by the official spokesperson, Humberto López, during the broadcast of the Noticiero Nacional de Televisión (NTV). The peculiar news coverage omitted images of the massive fight and focused on "debunking" reports from independent media, which it accused of being alarmist and manipulative.
Hours after the news went viral on social media and in the face of silence from official media, the Havana government published a statement denying reported deaths and asserting that the incident left two people injured, who had been treated in hospitals. The government also criticized media outlets that reported the incident, claiming the event was an "unauthorized activity," despite being promoted by Cuban state television, where nothing is advertised without proper institutional approval.
"Unfortunately, the incident resulted in two injured individuals who received immediate medical attention and are not in life-threatening condition. There are no fatalities," stated the authorities. However, hours later, given the magnitude of the events that were impossible for the regime’s censors to hide, the official press echoed the official versions, providing a partial and sugar-coated account of one of the most violent episodes witnessed in Cuban society, involving groups of young people armed with machetes and other sharp weapons.
"The note [from the Havana government] does mention the injured," acknowledged López. "One is currently hospitalized at William Soler Hospital, he is 18 years old, and is out of danger after undergoing surgery at the Joaquín Albarrán Domínguez Clinical Surgical Hospital (commonly known as Clínico de 26)."
Regarding the second injured person, López explained that it was a 20-year-old young man who was also treated at Clínico de 26 "for a wound that required stitches and was discharged."
"But this note was at noon. Further investigations reveal that, in addition to those two, four other individuals were treated at Clínico de 26. A 15-year-old minor, a 20-year-old man, a 41-year-old man, and a 38-year-old woman received medical attention," reported the presenter.
According to López, all of them received medical care. "The woman was discharged, but the other three [patients] irresponsibly left the institution," he added.
His news segment did not show any of the images or videos circulating on social media, which depicted groups of young people menacingly roaming the streets of the capital with machetes and other sharp weapons. Nevertheless, López accused the independent press of manipulation and "unscrupulous behavior aimed at discrediting Cuba with falsehoods."
Instead of reporting on the events, the star presenter of Cuban counterintelligence focused on "analyzing how the events were manipulated and exposing the behavior of individuals and media" that spread "false news." He also provided a detailed explanation of the protocols established to validate the Havana government’s statements about the event's "unauthorized" status.
"The journalism in this country is disgusting. They don't show a single video of what happened, of the hundreds of young people running around (many with machetes) so that people can see the level of violence and alert blind parents. Oh nooo, it's better to say that it was because the activity was unauthorized and that's the end of it," protested one Cuban woman on the Facebook group ‘Madres cubanas por un mundo mejor’.
"It wasn't authorized, huh? And it was promoted even on Canal Habana. The point is not whether it was authorized or not. That doesn't take away from the savagery that was there, and the one that has been unleashed recently throughout Cuba. Two days ago, there was a group in my neighborhood with sharpened sticks and throwing rocks at houses and everything. So, what now? Does no one see anything?" concluded the woman in her comment, similar to dozens of others condemning the manipulation by the official press and the regime's effort to conceal the growing wave of violence in the country.
Questions and Answers about Havana Brawl and Cuban Media Manipulation
Here we address some frequently asked questions regarding the recent violent incident in Havana and the Cuban regime's response, including media manipulation tactics.
What happened at Finca de los Monos in Havana?
A violent brawl involving groups of young people armed with machetes and other sharp weapons erupted, resulting in six individuals being injured.
How did the Cuban regime respond to the incident?
The regime initially reported only two injuries and denied any fatalities. It also criticized independent media for spreading "false news" and claimed the event was unauthorized.
Did the Cuban state media show any footage of the brawl?
No, the state media did not show any images or videos of the incident, focusing instead on discrediting independent media reports.
How many people were eventually reported injured?
Eventually, six people were reported injured, including a 15-year-old minor and a 38-year-old woman.