Related videos:
In the midst of the blackout that has left a large part of eastern Cuba in darkness after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, the story of Humberto Milán, a resident of the municipality of Río Cauto, Granma, has touched the community.
While most households continue to lack electricity and resources, this man decided to open the doors of his home and offer free electricity so that everyone can charge their devices, asking for nothing in return.
"In difficult times like those we are experiencing, we need people like my uncle, who lets anyone who needs to charge some equipment do so at no cost," wrote his niece Annelis Álvarez in the Facebook group Revolico Río Cauto.
"Anyone in need can come without any problem. Hours... 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm," she added, in a message that quickly filled with comments of gratitude.
Neighbors and social media users quickly praised Humberto's nobility.
"Those are the people that the community needs in this situation. Thank you and blessings for that great man," wrote a father.
Another user was more forceful: "Thank you for such a nice gesture. In Mabay and Julia, we can't say the same: here, if you don't pay, you can't charge your devices."
Solidarity in the face of abandonment
Humberto Milán's gesture, simple yet profoundly human, adds to other acts of solidarity that have emerged in recent days from the most affected communities in Granma and Holguín, where the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa left thousands of families without shelter, electricity, or water.
Dargel Rosales Martínez, a young man from Guisa, Granma, also made his generator available to the neighbors so they could charge cell phones, tablets, flashlights, lamps, and fans for small children.
In his case, the gasoline was donated by an anonymous friend.
Both gestures stand out in a country where the population is facing the worst crisis in decades. The hurricane only worsened a situation that was already precarious: thousands of families have lost their homes or their possessions, and rebuilding is almost impossible with current wages and the lack of materials.
Flooded streets, fallen telephone poles, and homes reduced to rubble create a bleak landscape that stands in stark contrast to the official narratives about recovery.
Despite the government's optimistic statements, the national electrical system remains collapsed, with entire circuits out of service and an infrastructure that will take time to fully restore.
In many rural areas of eastern Cuba, the only source of energy comes from small privately-owned power plants, which were obtained with great sacrifices or thanks to help from family members abroad. However, the majority of Cubans do not have access to this privilege.
Dignity from scarcity
While the government insists on promises, the reality is that it is the citizens themselves who are holding the country up with their ingenuity, effort, and solidarity.
People like Humberto Milán demonstrate that even in the darkest times, light can come from the will and empathy of the people, not from the state’s plans.
In Río Cauto, every afternoon between 4:00 and 6:00 PM, people gather at their homes. There are no speeches or slogans. Just Cubans who, amidst disaster, find in the generosity of a neighbor the spark that the government continues to deny them.
Filed under: