Ángel Carromero

[1] 27-year-old Ángel Francisco Carromero was detained by Cuban authorities immediately following the July 22, 2012 vehicular deaths of political dissidents Oswaldo Payá and Harold Cepero, both of whom were passengers in a car that collided with a tree.

The road the car was on has been described by news sources as being "in the process of repair, covered in abundant gravel, and, therefore, very skiddy;" following an investigation, officials declared that Carromero was speeding and failed to heed traffic signs warning of construction ahead.

[4] Manslaughter charges were levied against Carromero for the two vehicular deaths, with Cuban authorities asserting that in a case such as his, in which negligent actions resulted in "grave consequences," Article 177 of the Criminal Code required a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

[10][11] In April 2012, three months before Carromero travelled to Cuba, the Spanish Directorate General of Traffic had initiated the administrative process of revoking his driver's license and issued the due public notice on May 18.

Carromero's driving record was incorrectly reported by various Spanish media starting in early August 2012 while he was held in solitary confinement in a cell at the "100 y Aldabó" police headquarters in Havana awaiting trial.

According to Casado, Carromero also wanted to know to what end the information was leaked and explained that it had had the effect of complicating his judicial process in Cuba after the Cuban authorities had become aware of the reports published in Spain and based their prosecution on his alleged record of reckless driving.