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A report on social media has sparked outrage in Cuba after images of at least six children sleeping in the gardens of the Muthu hotel have been circulated, located at the intersection of 1st and 70, in the Playa municipality, Havana.
The Cuban journalist Yadira Albet raised an alert on Wednesday about the situation through her Facebook profile, where she shared posts from the user Mayelín Guevara (who later deleted the post) and other witnesses confirming the ongoing presence of minors in that tourist area of the capital.
“This situation is unacceptable. I share Mayelín Guevara's post, and the comments on the original post confirm that these children are indeed there,” wrote Albet, directing his message to educational institutions, children's homes without family support, the PNR, and the Cuban state. The report also surfaced on the wall of activist Yamilka Laffitta (Lara Crofs).
According to testimonies, the minors, all aged between 8 and 14, have been sleeping on cardboard in the hotel gardens for over a month, after being expelled by the police from the vicinity of the nearby Business Center, where they used to take refuge to rest.
"First they wandered around the Business Center, and it's true that they sleep there now and keep asking," reported the Havana resident Beatriz Alonso, who claims to have spoken with some of the minors.
They come from poor neighborhoods, descending from Marianao, and many are children of incarcerated mothers or fathers who emigrated and left them with their grandparents, he added.
Several users confirmed seeing the minors in the area begging for money from passersby or helping tourists move shopping carts at the new dollar market on 3rd and 70th.
"Those kids are there every day. When they see the authorities, they run away. They've been picked up several times, but they always return," commented a neighbor."
So far, no state institution has commented on the case, despite repeated alerts from citizens and journalists.
The images have sparked outrage and a widespread debate about the increasing visibility of child begging in Cuba, a phenomenon that the regime often denies.
“My God, there are at least six children in the photo. I've never seen anything like that before. It's all becoming more tragic every day,” wrote the user Lisbety Mirabal, while another user, Jorge Gabriel Alfonso Font, lamented: “The Cuba they are leaving us is terrible.”
Independent organizations and local observers warn that more and more minors are living on the streets in Cuba, begging or searching for food, exposed to abuse and complete vulnerability.
According to data from UNICEF and the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, extreme poverty affects 89% of households, and at least 9% of children experience food poverty.
The year-on-year inflation for 2024 closed at 24.88%, while salaries barely exceed 7,000 pesos per month and the shortage of food and medicine continues to worsen.
Despite this, the Cuban government continues to uphold its narrative of "social achievements" without acknowledging the collapse of its child protection system.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Situation of Street Children in Cuba
What has caused the situation of children sleeping in the hotel gardens in Havana?
The situation of the children sleeping in the gardens of the Muthu hotel in Havana is a result of the lack of family and state protection. These minors, aged between 8 and 14, come from impoverished neighborhoods and, in many cases, are children of incarcerated mothers or fathers who have emigrated. Institutional neglect and the lack of resources to address child poverty exacerbate this situation.
What is the Cuban government's response to the increase in child begging?
So far, the Cuban government has not issued an official response regarding the increase in child begging. Although the situation has sparked outrage and public debate, the regime continues to deny the collapse of its child protection system. No effective policies have been implemented to address this issue, and the country's economic conditions continue to deteriorate, affecting the most vulnerable.
How does the economic crisis in Cuba affect children and young people?
The economic crisis in Cuba severely impacts children and young people, pushing them into informal work and begging. According to the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, 89% of Cuban households live in extreme poverty, and at least 9% of children experience food insecurity. This situation compels many minors to seek means of subsistence under precarious conditions, affecting their development and well-being.
What solutions have been proposed to address child begging in Cuba?
No effective solutions have been proposed by the Cuban government to address child begging. The regime continues to attribute responsibility to the lack of family support and the U.S. embargo, while failing to acknowledge the structural causes of the phenomenon, such as the collapse of the economic model and social disintegration. The lack of political will and concrete measures keeps minors in vulnerable situations.
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