A child was found last Sunday while rummaging through a garbage container for food on a street corner in Santiago de Cuba, according to reports from an activist in the city on social media.
The case was shared by Yasser Sosa Tamayo on his Facebook profile, who reported that the child, apparently with mental health issues, lives in Micro 8 with his father, who suffers from alcoholism.
Additionally, he identified the child as Jesús and explained that he was visible to several passersby, who ignored him as he rummaged through the trash in search of food.
The activist expressed his dismay and described the scene as a reflection of the social insensitivity affecting the community: "You can only hug him, move him away from that stinking corner, and do what you have to do with what you have on hand," he noted in his post while showing the little boy holding a couple of loaves of bread.
"I can only write these melancholic letters while reflecting on how miserable we humans have become," the activist expressed, astonished by the indifference of those who did not stop to help the child.
Sosa's complaint highlights a broader issue related to the neglect and lack of attention afforded to the most vulnerable sectors of Cuban society.
The image of the child feeding among the waste sparked outrage among those who learned about the story through social media.
Many people expressed regret that the current economic crisis creates situations of vulnerability like this one, criticized the regime for failing to take action, and praised the activist for their gesture of solidarity.
Sosa, also recognized as a writer, has intensified his charitable efforts in recent months to support the most disadvantaged individuals in Santiago de Cuba.
In June, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) published a report that included Cuba in its assessment of child nutrition.
UNICEF revealed that 9% of children in Cuba suffer from severe food insecurity, meaning they have access to at most two out of eight essential foods for a healthy life.
According to the document, among children affected by severe food insecurity, four out of five primarily consume breast milk and dairy products, along with a staple food rich in starch, such as rice, corn, or wheat.
Only about 10% of these children consume fruits and vegetables, and less than 5% receive protein from sources such as eggs, meat, poultry, and fish.
A total of 4.2 million Cubans, or 37.8 percent of the country's population, experienced food insecurity during 2023, according to research released this Thursday by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The collapse of agricultural production in Cuba over the past seven years, along with its increasing dependence on food imports, has worsened the food crisis on the island.
This is compounded by a reduction in trade, a decline in tourism revenue, and a decrease in remittances from abroad, which has led to nearly 40% of the Cuban population facing food insecurity, according to a study by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the USDA.
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