Under the subject "Claim of an ordinary Cuban," a letter arrived at the CiberCuba editorial office from a father living in western Cuba, in which he chose to "raise his voice" to denounce the abuses and hardships suffered by the people in a country that is "collapsing" after more than six decades of unfulfilled promises from its leaders.
The sender of the letter, who requested that their identity not be revealed for fear of reprisals, has endured an overwhelming situation over the past week alongside their family due to the impact of Hurricane Rafael: a widespread power outage that has lasted for seven days, shortages of water (in many areas, even before the cyclone struck the western region), and a lack of essential supplies, particularly food.
Her report exposes the bitter and unsustainable reality faced every day by the millions of Cubans living on the island, amid the worst crisis that Cuba has experienced in its history as a nation.
Below, we fully transcribe the letter sent by "an ordinary Cuban" to our site:
CiberCuba:
I am reaching out to this platform to raise my voice against the constant oppression that we Cubans are enduring. I know that my plea will reach thousands of readers through this medium, and I hope it can inspire others like me to break the chains of silence. Naturally, I must maintain my anonymity, but my feelings reflect those of millions of souls who are being slowly exterminated in this hellish country.
Hurricane Rafael once again exposed the numerous shortcomings and challenges that have plagued the people of Cuba for decades. After seven days without electricity and several more without water, the situation became untenable.
This time, there were no distraction tactics to force the masses to look away. The debacle deeply wounded those who watch as the calendar ticks by month after month, and the problem escalates to inhumane levels.
The promises of improvement faded into a breath that could not shake the foundations of disaster. Decades of promises no longer resonate with a resigned people, who long for a better future, but the fear of the system's reprisals paralyzes them, etching a threat into their souls that could confine their days behind bars.
Cuba is crumbling in a bleak present.
It is painful to see children crying in the face of hardship, as the scorching heat and mosquitoes assail them with no mercy. Childhood in Cuba is overshadowed by scarcity and sleepless nights, in a hell that took root nearly 70 years ago and has decided to cling to power at any cost, even if it means the annihilation of the people.
The lack of water is another punishment that causes suffering, given the inaction of those who are supposed to look after the priorities of each individual. In reality, the leaders live in their own bubbles, far removed from the disaster that grips the entire nation.
"It's what we have to live with," I heard a lady say. This is precisely where our main weakness lies. Why must we accept that our principles are trampled and our future cut short? Why do we have to go on like automatons without a will of our own?
When we understand that the power to dismantle all evils lies in our hands, we will be able to take a step in the right direction. For now, abuse and misery continue to overshadow every moment of our lives.
Once again, my thanks to CiberCuba for spreading this message of freedom.
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