The economic crisis in Cuba has forced the Santiago de Cuba aquarium, located in Baconao National Park, to suspend its iconic dolphin show due to food shortages and to exhibit a worrisome decline, all during the peak summer season.
Journalist Yosmany Mayeta shared a gallery of images on Facebook that highlights the significant state of neglect of the tourist facility, a key attraction in Baconao Park and a popular spot for children during the summer.
One particularly moving image shows a dolphin in a half-filled pond, its walls indicating that the recreational center has not received maintenance for quite some time.
One of the followers reported that it is currently impossible to plan a trip to Baconao, which is increasingly lacking attractive offers, “because they don’t intend to hold the dolphin show until the weekend, due to a shortage of food.”
"We have to find transportation, and it’s quite expensive, and when you finally get here (to Baconao Aquarium), you find the doors are closed. Considering it's vacation for the kids, where can we go in this damned country?" said the furious complainant.
The woman pointed out that there is a complete abandonment, and that no one has offered her an explanation for why the fish tanks are empty and dirty: “As long as they have food for the fish, they will remain open to the public on some days,” she noted.
It was also noted that dolphins suffer mistreatment as they are forced to remain in dirty pools with a limited amount of water.
Mayeta emphasized that the information was corroborated by neighbors of the facility, who all agreed that the aquarium suffers from a lack of cleanliness in the fish tanks, the feeding is insufficient, and the neglect in both indoor and outdoor areas is evident.
Although the current state of the Baconao Aquarium in Santiago de Cuba impacts children, who have fewer and fewer places to enjoy this stage of their lives, the unfortunate condition of the facility is not surprising.
Recently, the Cuban government announced restrictions on the offerings for the recreational program this summer.
In the government-backed program Mesa Redonda, Raúl Fornés Valenciano, the first vice president of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation, acknowledged that the upcoming stage will take place in a complex economic situation, which "creates certain restrictions in terms of offerings, but there is a diverse plan of activities."
However, the official forgot to mention that the high prices of dining and recreational options make several places inaccessible to most of the Cuban population.
In this regard, a Cuban recently illustrated how little can be purchased with a professional salary, suggesting that if she can barely meet her basic food needs, there is no way she could invest in leisure activities.
Filed under: