A couple from Artemisa carried out an admirable act of solidarity toward vulnerable individuals in their neighborhood by providing them with free food.
Amid the devastation caused by Hurricane Rafael in the province, where nearly half of the residents are still without electricity, the couple of self-employed workers decided to lend a hand to their less fortunate compatriots.
Rey Alberto Echeverría García and Iliana Peraza Hernández, residents of the San Cristóbal municipality, cooked for a total of 150 low-income individuals from the Modesto Serrano community.
"We are in complex circumstances, without electricity, and there are people who have no means to cook, making it very difficult for them to acquire food. We had the idea of doing this some time ago, and we finally managed to make it happen..." Iliana told the weekly publication El Artemiseño.
Dinorah Linares Pacheco, the local delegate, revealed that some neighbors helped the couple prepare the food.
"We identified through the CDR the individuals in need of assistance, which I consider a great gesture of humanity," he stated.
Among the beneficiaries were nine individuals assisted by the Family Care System, who received lunch and dinner.
The noble gesture of the couple stands in stark contrast to the regime's attitude, which, despite the terrible crisis affecting the population, is unable to provide any "aid" for free.
Whenever a cyclone occurs, and people are left without electricity or gas for cooking, the government sells some food rations and boasts that it does so at "affordable prices."
The actions of this couple of self-employed individuals were covered by the official site Cubadebate, where many internet users criticized the government's attitude towards the victims of Hurricane Rafael.
"Our private sector... the same ones that our Prime Minister constantly demonizes, are the first to step up without hesitation and without needing so many meetings," stated a resident of Havana.
"It should shame the government that someone shows such a beautiful gesture while they forget that their people are dying of hunger," noted a resident of Villa Clara.
"Can we propose them to replace some of those who lead us?" asked a Camagüeyan.
"They are doing what needs to be done by the fat cats in the government; good for them for having a heart," assured a lawyer.
"My question is: do you believe it should be the private sector responsible for feeding people who have neither power nor anything to eat? (...) The action is very nice, but that's the government's responsibility in times of disaster," a mother inquired.
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