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Two men residing in the José Martí District in Santiago de Cuba were arrested after being caught taking advantage of the chaos caused by Hurricane Melissa to commit acts of looting, according to reported the official page Héroes del Moncada on Facebook.
The events occurred amid a national emergency that has left tens of thousands of homes damaged and forced thousands of people to evacuate in eastern Cuba.
The complaint was accompanied by the outraged testimony of a neighbor from the affected neighborhood, who was not surprised by the behavior of those detained:
“When it came to stealing, Marcos and Roilandis were always ready to get to work”, declared Zoila, a resident of the José Martí District.
According to the published account, the men left their homes at dawn after the cyclone passed to roam the nearby areas and take everything that the winds had swept into the street: antennas, tiles, and other belongings that did not belong to them.
But what led to his arrest was the attempt to steal over 95 meters of electrical wiring, which had been left on the ground after a pole fell.
A neighbor who witnessed the scene and understood the impact this robbery would have on the already complicated process of restoring electricity service alerted the authorities.
Shortly after, the police intervened and arrested both individuals, who will be prosecuted for taking advantage of the moment's vulnerability to commit a crime.
Popular outrage and calls to toughen the penalties
The post generated a wave of reactions on social media, many of which had a tone of outrage and calls for exemplary justice.
Comments like “rats, don’t hesitate to lock them up and throw away the keys,” “to jail,” “an iron fist with those shameless ones,” and “they shouldn’t be let out of prison” were repeated among users, reflecting public discontent over these opportunistic acts.
Hurricane Melissa: a devastating and poorly managed emergency
The context in which these events occurred is that of a severe humanitarian crisis caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck eastern Cuba in late October.
According to official figures, more than 45,000 homes have suffered damage, mostly to their roofs, and 14,000 people remain evacuated in state facilities.
The Cuban government has also acknowledged that more than 1,500 schools were affected, and that nearly 78,700 hectares of crops, mostly banana, were devastated.
In the municipality of Río Cauto, in the province of Granma, the highest tensions are reported, while towns like Guamo were partially evacuated.
Despite authorities claiming that “progress is being made in restoring electricity and water supply,” citizens are reporting a lack of resources, slow assistance, and prolonged power outages.
This adds to the frustration regarding the state sale of construction materials that should be distributed for free among those affected.
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