This past Sunday, two national passenger trains in Cuba fell victim to acts of vandalism at different times and locations across the country. The incidents involved stones being hurled at the moving trains, causing alarm among passengers and railway staff, though no injuries were reported.

According to official channels of the Union of Railways of Cuba, the first attack occurred at 5:20 p.m. as the Havana-Holguín route Train No. 15 was pelted with stones near the city of Las Tunas. The second incident took place at 9:20 p.m. when Train No. 12, traveling from Santiago de Cuba to Havana, was similarly targeted between Cristino Naranjo and Fuente in Holguín province. A stone struck car number 8436, passing through an open window near seats 15 and 16.

The second attack coincided with a widespread blackout affecting eastern Cuba, raising suspicions that the incident might have been a form of protest against the regime. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in either case, and the trains did not sustain significant structural damage.

The Union of Railways has denounced these dangerous and wholly unacceptable acts, emphasizing that they jeopardize the lives of Cubans, including children and the elderly, and disrupt railway services. Such stone-throwing incidents are not isolated; they reflect a growing concern over the safety of the national railway system, already plagued by material deterioration and resource shortages.

In recent months, the Cuban rail system has experienced a troubling series of vandalism acts, including stone attacks on passenger trains. A train in Alquízar, Artemisa province, was hit while stationed, resulting in material damage and passenger distress. Similar attacks have occurred on a train bound for Guantánamo, causing panic among travelers.

Violence against public transport extends beyond trains. In Havana, an unknown assailant stoned a bus in the early morning, shattering windows and endangering passengers. Just days prior, a state-operated minibus was also attacked with stones in the capital, posing a threat to the occupants.

Amidst this crisis, authorities announced testing for Wi-Fi on national trains, a move criticized for prioritizing digital connectivity over addressing the evident risks posed by deteriorating rail infrastructure. In response to the rise in attacks and accidents, the government has tightened its judicial stance. The Supreme Court has ruled that crimes against trains and other strategic services be treated as sabotage under the Penal Code, allowing for harsh penalties and even exemplary measures to deter such behavior.