The Cuban Catholic priest Alberto Reyes Pías denounced the deep health crisis facing Cuba and described the current situation as a "silent genocide," recounting cases of deaths due to the lack of essential medications.
In an interview given three months ago to the YouTube channel El Mundo de Darwin, hosted by Darwin Santana, the parish priest stated: "People are hungry. People have no medicine. I say that in Cuba, at this moment, there is a silent genocide. People are dying. Dying for what? Because, which press reports that a person died due to a lack of an antibiotic?"
During the conversation, Reyes shared direct testimonies he has witnessed in his pastoral work: "I mentioned in an interview recently a gentleman I picked up in one of the towns who told me that his only son, his sole 14-year-old son, twisted his ankle and had an open wound, it became infected and he died because there was no antibiotic. Your only son at 14 years old..."
He also mentioned a case he witnessed in his parish: "I have had a father in the parish looking for an anticonvulsant because his two-year-old son has seizures, and he has been in front of his son when the seizures start. He took him to the hospital, and there they told him, 'there's nothing we can do.' So what do you do? How do you stand in front of your two-year-old who is having seizures, and the only thing you can do is hold him because there's nothing else?"
According to the priest, many of these deaths are not officially recorded or covered in the media: "So, in Cuba... people are dying and nobody hears about it because this isn’t news. So, of course, in light of this, one cannot remain silent. Those who know cannot stay silent because it is evident."
The full interview can be viewed on the YouTube channel El Mundo de Darwin, under the title Canel is Challenged by a Priest. The Cuban dictatorship is in internal crisis.
A healthcare system on the brink of collapse
The statements made by Father Reyes carry special weight in a context of growing social alarm and healthcare collapse in several Cuban provinces, where the viruses of dengue, chikungunya, Oropouche fever, and digestive diseases are circulating simultaneously.
In the province of Matanzas, historian and activist Alina Bárbara López Hernández denounced that the authorities are manipulating information about the epidemic and that there is an explicit order to deny the deaths caused by arboviral disease.
In Santiago de Cuba, health authorities confirmed that the cases of digestive diseases and arboviruses are increasing due to the proliferation of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the shortage of drinking water, and the accumulation of garbage.
In Camagüey, an internal message from the health system confirmed that there are cases of chikungunya and possible circulation of the Oropouche virus, although the government remains officially silent in the face of the increase in fever cases.
In Holguín, public health authorities admitted that serotype four of dengue and chikungunya affect almost all municipalities, although they did not declare active transmission.
In Villa Clara, following an increase in arbovirus cases, authorities have reactivated a health emergency plan that includes fumigations, cleaning campaigns, and the mobilization of state resources.
Despite citizen reports, medical statements, and the visible collapse in hospitals, the Ministry of Public Health continues to deny any fatalities or healthcare collapse, while public outrage grows over the lack of transparency and institutional neglect.
The accusations from Father Alberto Reyes Pías and figures like Alina Bárbara López highlight a national crisis that the regime tries to downplay, while more and more Cubans face illness and death in silence each day.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Health Crisis and the Regime in Cuba
What is the "silent genocide" referred to by Father Alberto Reyes?
The Cuban priest Alberto Reyes Pías uses the term "silent genocide" to describe the health crisis in Cuba, where people die from a lack of essential medications. These deaths are neither officially recorded nor highlighted in the media, and they occur due to the shortage of antibiotics and other crucial drugs in the country.
How is the health crisis affecting the Cuban population?
The health crisis in Cuba is severely affecting the population, with an increase in cases of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Oropouche fever. The lack of medications, medical personnel, and resources is leading to a noticeable collapse in hospitals, while the authorities deny the seriousness of the situation.
What role does the Cuban government play in the current health crisis?
The Cuban government has been criticized for manipulating information about the health crisis and downplaying the severity of the situation. Despite reports of hospital collapse and unrecorded deaths, authorities continue to deny the existence of a healthcare collapse, leading to public outrage and criticisms from figures such as Father Alberto Reyes.
What does priest Alberto Reyes denounce about the control of the Cuban regime?
The priest Alberto Reyes denounces that the Cuban regime exercises control based on emotional manipulation and repression, keeping the people under empty and unfulfilled promises. He criticizes that the citizens are subjected to a constant wait for improvements that never come, while the government employs strategies of fear and coercion to maintain its grip on power.
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