Political prisoner's wife shows the condition of her home after the flooding in Río Cauto

Eliannis Villavicencio Jorge, wife of the political prisoner Alexander Verdecia Rodríguez, displayed on social media the condition of her home in the municipality of Río Cauto, Granma province, after the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The shared images by Villavicencio show the interior of his house covered in mud and water, with damaged furniture and the floor completely flooded.

"My house is like this now when I arrive. Lord, give strength to everyone who has lost their belongings. It is sad and heartbreaking what my people are experiencing," she wrote in one of her posts, accompanied by photos that depict the magnitude of the disaster.

In another message, the woman recounted that she had to leave her home with her two daughters and take shelter under an improvised tent in a nearby school, alongside other neighbors.

"Thank God for protecting us and giving us a new dawn. We ran to the school because it is the highest place and closest to my house," he stated, debunking rumors that sought to downplay what had happened.

His testimony adds to those of dozens of families who lost everything in Río Cauto, one of the hardest-hit areas by the flooding of the longest river in Cuba.

The torrential rains from Hurricane Melissa caused the overflowing of the Cauto River and the partial collapse of roads and homes in communities such as Guamo Viejo, Cayama, and Trinidad, where residents are reporting a lack of assistance and a delayed response from the authorities.

Videos shared on social media show streets turned into rivers, roofs barely visible above the water, and residents calling for rescue while military helicopters flew over the area. Although official media claimed that “there was no need for a mass evacuation,” local testimonies contradict that account.

In the midst of this tragedy, Villavicencio also faces the absence of her husband, Alexander Verdecia Rodríguez, coordinator of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (Unpacu) in Río Cauto, who has been imprisoned since February and for whom the prosecution is seeking 10 years in prison for expressing opinions against the government on social media.

“God has given us a new dawn,” Eliannis wrote, with the same tone of faith with which she denounces the pain of a people who, amidst repression and natural disaster, continue to struggle to survive with the little they have left.