An animal rights activist questioned the actions of the Cuban institutions responsible for nature protection this Sunday, expressing her outrage at the promotion of the sale of red squirrels in Havana.
In a Facebook post, Elizabeth Marela Cardoso Pérez harshly criticized vendors who, according to her, profit from the suffering of animals without any knowledge of their handling and care.
"This type of publication makes me very sad for the little animals and, at the same time, fills me with great indignation towards those good-for-nothings who profit from the suffering of species," she wrote, emphasizing that buyers also share responsibility for acquiring these animals out of mere vanity or ignorance of their well-being.
"They have not the slightest idea of how to handle them, because the only thing that matters to them is the money they can make," she expressed with great indignation.
The activist went further, pointing out that not only the sellers and buyers are to blame, but also the institutions responsible for protecting wildlife, whom she accused of failing to fulfill their duty: "Where is Flora and Fauna? This is public and they do nothing," she reported, emphasizing the lack of action from the authorities to control wildlife trafficking.
Furthermore, he lamented that the existing reporting mechanism is ineffective, describing it as "unbearable and inoperative."
Cardoso also criticized the bureaucracy that allows criminals to continue acting without restraint, and considered that the lack of officials committed to the protection of wildlife and nature only worsens the situation, while the animal rights community feels increasingly unprotected.
Along with her strong criticism, the woman shared some screenshots of posts circulating on social media, where the sale of red squirrels is being promoted.
"Lovers of pets. I have very cute red squirrels for your home. I am from Havana, Lawton. Interested parties, please DM," reads one of the ads posted by the user Jose Canitrot.
The same person, as seen in another screenshot, posted that they were looking for someone who hunted red squirrels in the Puente Grande area: "I'll buy them all," they noted.
Another Facebook profile, named China MI, reported in the group "SOS callejeros. Cuba" that Jose Canitrot himself made a post promoting the sale of this species.
In the shared images, several cages with red squirrels can be seen enclosed in them.
Red squirrels are an invasive species that has also found people who enjoy seeing them in the wild, as can be seen in a video shared by the news portal CubaNet.
However, the current economic crisis has led many people to seek income through unusual means, such as the marketing of wild animals or invasive species.
In 2021, the activist for animal protection and rights in Cuba, Javier Larrea, reported on his Facebook profile the alleged sale of a bat on the island for the price of 4,000 pesos.
Another activist, Beatriz Batista, denounced in 2020 the sale of an owl for religious purposes on the classifieds platform Revolico: "The longer we remain in this absurd situation of turning a blind eye, being complicit in lifeless animal bodies... the more we develop as an ignorant and cruel society," she said.
In 2021, the Office of Regulation and Environmental Security of Cuba reported an increase in the illicit trade of wild birds, as well as other species.
According to the state media Cubadebate, the demand for the organism is due to the use of these species as pets, the consumption of their meat, the production of handicrafts, and also certain religious practices.
Although the Cuban regime enacted the Animal Welfare Decree Law in 2021, constant complaints from citizens demonstrate its limited effectiveness in practice.
Specifically, Article 58, subsection h) states that it is an offense to “market, transport, possess, capture, reproduce, and any other action of handling animals that is carried out in violation of current regulations.”
Furthermore, in its Article 83, it establishes that the control of wildlife populations can be carried out for justified sanitary reasons, such as the excessive growth of individuals of a species, the presence of invasive species or pests, and diseases.
However, the sacrifice of these invasive species requires authorization from the competent authorities and must be carried out quickly and compassionately.
The 2021 Animal Welfare Decree-Law in Cuba establishes strict regulations on the trade of live animals, including invasive species. According to this law, individuals engaged in the trade of animals must have the appropriate licenses and authorizations in accordance with current legislation.
People who commit these infractions may face fines of up to 1,000 pesos, which would be imposed by the competent authorities.
One of the most criticized aspects by activists is the lack of severity of the Animal Welfare Law regarding offenses that affect animals, including invasive species.
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