Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz visited the municipality of Cauto Cristo in the province of Granma this Wednesday, where he toured areas devastated by the flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck the eastern part of the country at the end of October.
During his tour, highlighted in a report by the National News, Marrero spoke with a small group of affected residents. He surprised them with a question: “How many mattresses were damaged here? Have any arrived for you yet?” he asked the locals.
This unusual concern from the prime minister about mattresses seems more like a political reaction than a gesture of empathy. The episode occurs just a few days after Miguel Díaz-Canel had an awkward moment during his visit to the town of El Cobre, in Santiago de Cuba, another area severely affected by the hurricane.
During that tour, a victim confronted the leader about the loss of her bed. Díaz-Canel, visibly irritated, responded disdainfully: "And I don't have one to give you right now either." The images went viral and sparked a wave of criticism against the regime for its inefficiency and lack of sensitivity toward the tragedy affecting thousands of Cuban families.
The census conducted by local authorities of the community visited by Marrero in Cauto Cristo indicates that 103 camero mattresses and 56 personal mattresses were damaged.
So far, the municipality has only received 50 camero mattresses and 26 personal mattresses. They were distributed to families who managed to return to their homes, while others remain evacuated. The authorities did not specify when the remaining mattresses will arrive.
Marrero assured that the government would provide financial assistance in extreme cases
“The most important thing is to understand the situation of each home and family. Furthermore, when they gather, if there is any family that is currently going through a very difficult time and needs financial assistance, we provide financial assistance as well,” he stated.
Marrero's visit and his sudden concern for the mattresses aim to repair the image damage caused by Díaz-Canel and to create an appearance of government attention to the humanitarian crisis in the eastern region.
More than two weeks after Melissa's passage, dozens of families in Granma, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba are still without homes, without mattresses, and without concrete answers, while leaders attempt to contain the growing public discontent with media gestures rather than real solutions.
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