Amid the ongoing National Exercise for Crime, Corruption, Illegality, and Social Indiscipline Prevention and Confrontation, the government of Pinar del Río showcased an unexpected display of police "efficiency" this Tuesday. In the town of Alonso Rojas, municipality of Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, a man had his pig stolen, and the police returned only a few pounds of meat in a plastic bag.
This peculiar incident was triumphantly shared by the official profile "De Pinar Soy," which posted a photo on Facebook of an officer handing the victim a bag containing parts of the slaughtered animal. The post also thanked the authorities for their actions and highlighted that the thieves had been caught and were detained. "Thanks to the police. The criminal never rests, but neither does the authority," the government profile stated, accompanied by several applause and explosion emojis.
"De Pinar Soy" further noted, "We managed to recover part of the meat and return it to its owner," which undoubtedly invited ridicule for portraying the partial return of property as an institutional success. The profile Edmundo Dantés Junior seized the opportunity to post an ironic comment: "They should have given it to you fried already." Annia AH sarcastically remarked, "No money or anything, just this? What about the other part? Oh, surely at the police station."
Héctor Enrique Roldan Castellanos pointed out the obvious: "How ridiculous they are! It's embarrassing," while Javiel Pipe expressed his disbelief with a popular song reference: "Wow, Pedro!"
The ongoing crisis in Cuba continues to create bizarre scenarios. Recently, also in Pinar del Río, a new method of theft has begun to spread, revealing the level of impunity that crime has reached. A resident of Alonso de Rojas, in the municipality of Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, explained to journalist Alberto Arego what is happening.
"There is a modus operandi known as kidnapping, not of people, but of objects and animals that criminals steal and then demand ransom money. This is the new way they're trying to live off people who genuinely work hard for their family's well-being," she shared on Facebook.
However, most violent incidents are far more serious. Last December, a brutal crime shocked the community of Paso Quemado, in Los Palacios, Pinar del Río: the murder of 58-year-old Nelson Robaina Campos. Robaina, affectionately called "Huevo" by his family and friends, was killed and decapitated for his electric bicycle and cell phone while guarding a tobacco field, according to social media reports.
Robaina was described as a noble and well-loved member of his community by those who knew him, and many expressed their condolences to his family in various posts.
In February, a Cuban mother identified on Facebook as Yaricelys Iglesia reported her daughter's motorcycle stolen while parked at the University of Medical Sciences in Pinar del Río. She explained on her Facebook account that the theft occurred after 11 p.m. and asked the community for help in recovering the motorcycle or identifying the culprits.
That same month, the Provincial People's Court of Pinar del Río sentenced eight Cubans to up to 15 years in prison for vehicle theft in the province. The court held a public trial for case number 213/24, in which eight individuals were charged with the continuous crimes of robbery with force, theft, and receiving stolen property, according to the official newspaper Guerrillero.
Addressing Crime and Safety Concerns in Pinar del Río
What was the response of the authorities in Pinar del Río to the pig theft incident?
The authorities in Pinar del Río responded by capturing the thieves and returning a portion of the stolen pig as meat in a plastic bag, which was shared triumphantly on social media.
What recent crime trends have emerged in Pinar del Río?
A new crime trend in Pinar del Río involves criminals stealing objects and animals and demanding ransom money, a method referred to as "kidnapping" of items.
How has the community reacted to recent crimes in Pinar del Río?
The community has expressed outrage and disbelief through social media comments, highlighting the absurdity and seriousness of the crime situation in Pinar del Río.