Related videos:
In an episode that blends the grotesque with tragedy and highlights the deep crisis of values and controls in Cuba, a woman was caught impersonating a nurse at the Vladimir Ilich Lenin Hospital in Holguín, engaging in a business that is as bizarre as it is outrageous: renting delivery beds.
The case, revealed by the official profile Cazador Cazado, sparked a wave of reactions, not only due to the audacity of the protagonist, identified as Belkis Bauzá, but also because of the numerous questions raised by the official version.
According to the publication, Bauzá had no training or connection with the healthcare system.
However, she moved around the hospital as if she were part of the staff, identifying available beds and "selling" them to families desperate to secure a space for their deliveries.
His performance reveals the existence of a black market within a health center, where—according to many citizens—resources that should be free are being traded illegally.
"Beds have been sold there for a while now, and we all know it," commented a user; while another pointed out that "it's not just the bed... they sell everything, even cesareans and ligations."
Indignation and doubts: Could she act alone?
The official account raised more questions than answers.
Dozens of people agreed that it is unlikely that an outsider could maintain such a business without the complicity of the hospital staff.
"It's not possible for a person without accomplices within the institution to do that," stated an internet user; to which another added, "Of course there are officials involved in this business as well; if they investigate thoroughly, they will find more cockroaches."
Similar comments were abundant
"I don't think she was alone in that business... there are definitely more people involved because I doubt she could do it all on her own."
“She shouldn’t be alone in that business; someone had to help her because she needed access to the information in the delivery room.”
"This is a whole team of work. I hope to see your faces here."
For many, the omission of these possible accomplices in the official note is a reflection of how uncomfortable cases are handled: the weakest link is exposed while others remain in the shadows.
Lack of clarity and a "poorly told" story
An important part of the reactions questioned the way the news was presented.
"Please explain clearly what this woman was doing... I don't understand well," requested a reader.
Others were more straightforward: "That story is poorly told; it lacks arguments to be credible," or "They told the story halfway; that tale is much longer."
The general feeling is that the official post was neither transparent nor detailed.
Some suggested that details were not provided because it would involve acknowledging serious failures in the hospital's internal controls and the accountability of high-ranking officials.
The context: corruption and the normalization of payments in hospitals
Beyond the specific case, the comments reflect a reality that many take for granted: paying to access medical services, even in public hospitals, is quite common.
"If you want a bed, you have to pay or have a friend," stated a user.
Another commented: "In the clinic in Holguín, they even sell IV fluids for seriously ill patients... no one goes there by choice, and how long will this decline continue?"
Several individuals reported that cesarean sections, surgeries, and even transfers in wheelchairs are charged under the table. This practice, they claim, is not new: "They have been selling beds to new mothers at Lenin for years; it's nothing new."
While many understand that in present-day Cuba people make do to survive, most agreed that doing so at the expense of people's health—especially that of pregnant women—is crossing an unacceptable ethical line.
"Any other illegal business could at least be understood if it meant putting a meal on the table for the family... but there, in that sacred place, we will never understand that," wrote a resident of Holguín.
Others called for exemplary punishments: “He should pay dearly for what he did,” “In prison for no less than 5 years,” or “The full weight of the law on his shoulders.”
The case has revealed the deterioration of a system that for decades was presented as a global example. For many, it is proof that the "medical power" is now more of a slogan than a reality. "There is no longer free public health," lamented a commentator.
Distrust is growing, not only towards those who commit these scams, but also towards the institutions that allow them to happen. As one user summarized: “She didn’t do this alone… dig deeper and you’ll see the chain extend.”
Filed under: