The Cuban regime, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa through the eastern part of the island, is not satisfied with claiming that there were no deaths: it now also asserts that the cyclone caused not a single injury, despite the visible devastation in the affected provinces.
During a meeting of the National Defense Council, broadcast on the program Desde la Presidencia, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquín Alonso Vázquez, stated that “we have not had to mourn a single death, nor any injuries, due to the passage of the hurricane.”
"The decisions of the National Defense Council have been implemented before, during, and after the passage of the hurricane, and not only have they been carried out, but there is also constant monitoring in place," said the official, who emphasized the actions of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior in evacuating the population.
According to Alonso, the "decisive and commendable action" of both organizations made it possible to "protect the lives" of residents in the affected areas, even in cases where evacuations took place after the impact of the meteorological phenomenon.
The minister's statements contrast with the destruction left by Melissa in the eastern part of the country.
Reports from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations describe severe damage to over 60,000 homes, 1,500 schools, and hundreds of medical centers, as well as millions of people affected by the loss of crops, interruption of services, and collapse of communications.
The UN Action Plan for the recovery of eastern Cuba, published this week, characterized the impact of the hurricane as “deep and widespread,” with communities still isolated and thousands of families lacking access to drinking water, electricity, and healthcare.
Despite the evidence of the humanitarian crisis, the Cuban authorities have chosen to maintain a narrative of institutional success and damage control, downplaying the human toll of the disaster.
Meanwhile, the affected population continues to report the lack of food, medicine, and adequate shelters through social media and local outlets.
The words of Minister Alonso align with the official stance of the regime to avoid acknowledging victims or injuries in natural disasters, a common practice in state propaganda to project the efficacy of the civil defense system, even in the face of large-scale emergencies.
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