The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel had a tense moment during his visit to the town of El Cobre, in Santiago de Cuba, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa, when he responded, visibly upset, to a woman who complained about the loss of her bed.
During the tour, Díaz-Canel explained that "groups will go to assess" the damages and needs of the affected families.
However, upon hearing the complaints of a neighbor who yelled "we have no bed", the president — visibly upset — responded in a disordered tone: "And I don't have one to give you right now either."
Many of those affected claim to have lost their homes, belongings, and food, and they have still not received state assistance.
Trying to clarify his response, Díaz-Canel added: "I already told you that there is a group of people making donations and that there is a set of resources being managed by the State.", referring to the support brigades and donations that, according to the government, are on their way to the eastern part of the country.
The images of the exchange quickly circulated on social media, where numerous users criticized the president's lack of empathy and the regime's slow response to the emergency.
According to Otaola, many residents were forbidden from approaching the leader during the official tour.
Many internet users recalled that El Cobre, a symbol of faith and resilience, remains in ruins days after the passage of Melissa.
The incident adds to other signs of the growing social discontent in Cuba, where criticism of the government's handling of natural disasters and the economic crisis is becoming increasingly visible.
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