Raúl Pérez Velázquez, a Cuban father residing in the United States, shared a heartbreaking account of a recent burglary at his mother-in-law's home in the Havana municipality of Cerro, where his two daughters, who are in seventh and ninth grade, also live.
According to what he told journalist Mario J. Pentón, thieves recently broke in during the early morning hours and took almost everything they found, from appliances to the backpacks containing the girls' books and school notebooks.
"They stole everything: televisions, the girls' phones, money… material possessions," explained Raúl, who thanked God that fortunately neither his mother-in-law nor his daughters were harmed.
However, he could not hold back the pain as he described how the thieves entered the room where the girls were sleeping and took the backpacks with notebooks and study books.
Raúl Pérez recounted that his daughters, upon realizing the theft, expressed their distress at knowing they do not have the necessary materials to study, especially since it is exam time.
He emphasized that the police had not shown up to investigate despite the report being made.
"If they had stolen something from the Government, the special brigades and the police dogs would have surely arrived, but since it’s just a simple family…" Raúl criticized the lack of action from the authorities regarding the issues affecting Cuban families.
In his emotional testimony, the overwhelmed father also denounced the rising insecurity on the island, pointing out that the economic crisis, hunger, and misery have led to increased rates of theft and violence.
Raúl, moved, recalled a tragic incident in his family: the murder of an uncle during a robbery in Matanzas.
“My uncle was killed for his motorcycle. He was riding it when a bastard took his life. The saddest part is that the police have not yet caught the murderer,” he reported.
In the midst of sadness, Raúl expressed his wish to soon reunite with his daughters in the United States.
“My wife and I work every day to provide them with a better future, but a robbery like this destroys in minutes what has taken us so much effort to build,” he reflected.
"It's very sad what's happening there. Thankfully, my family is physically safe, but the emotional trauma is evident," he said.
Raúl Pérez made a poignant plea to the residents of El Cerro, hoping that if anyone finds his daughters' notebooks or schoolbooks in any trash bins, they will return them.
In the comments section of the post, Mario J. Pentón specified that, following the complaint, the family was visited by the police in Cuba.
"After this video was published, the police and forensic experts ran to the woman's house… The officials always try to dissuade complaints that annoy the dictatorship so much and are so effective," Pentón pointed out.
Among the comments, other Cubans residing in the United States expressed solidarity with Raúl Pérez and reported that their families in Cuba have been victims of similar thefts.
As of the close of this report, there are no further details regarding the case.
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