Elderly man faints in line to collect his pension in Santiago de Cuba

An elderly man suffered an episode of hypoglycemia while waiting in line at a bank in Santiago de Cuba, standing in the sun, poorly fed and sick, without an available seat despite his advanced age.

The 90-year-old man was identified asEleutelio Simón Bueno, collapsed during the exhausting wait to collect his pension at the "La Comercial" bank, located near the Rotunda of the José Martí District in Santiago de Cuba.

The event occurred this Tuesday and shows the critical situation faced by retirees on the island, amid financial difficulties and a banking system that continues to be unable to respond to the basic needs of its population.

Eleutelio, with visible signs of motor disability and dependent on two crutches to move, was a victim of hypoglycemia in front of other elderly people who, in solidarity, came to help him.

They were all trying to collect a checkbook that was not enough to cover their basic needs. They have given their lives to a government that is incapable of guaranteeing them even a chair, to wait in line at the bank where they receive their humble retirement.

The news was spread by the independent journalistYosmany Mayeta Labrada, who asked through social networks that the relatives of the affected person be notified.

The situation in the banks in Santiago de Cuba is desperate. It is characterized by interruptions in services, and long lines that increase anguish among those who depend on their retirement to survive.

According to statements from citizens, poor management and inadequate treatment of pensioners are recurring problems, and the lack of regulation and control further aggravates the desperation of those who wait in these very long lines.

Some people claimed on social media that they have queued at banks for more than eight hours to access their money.

The problem extends beyond the long wait, since there is not enough money in ATMs or banks to satisfy the population's demand for cash.

Santiago residents claim that they are sometimes forced to pay a percentage of their salary so that other people can withdraw the money for them, reflecting a cycle of desperation and exploitation that especially hits the most vulnerable.

Thestory of Eleuthelius It is not isolated or new, but it is a wake-up call about the urgency of structural reforms that ensure the well-being and respect that Cuban retirees deserve, who in many cases must face this type of humiliating and dangerous situations for their health.

This incident reflects an even broader reality, popular discontent with the banking system, the treatment of the elderly and general poor government management in Cuba.