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A woman identified as Elisneydis Carrillo Vázquez was arrested by Cuban authorities in the municipality of Perico, Matanzas province, accused of the crime of pimping.
The arrest, which took place in the middle of the public street in Consejo Popular España, has sparked a heated debate on social media, where many users have criticized the measure and the repressive approach towards situations that many consider a direct consequence of the economic crisis the country is experiencing.
According to the official publication from the profile "Con Todos la Victoria," Carrillo Vázquez "was engaging in the worst way: contacting women to engage in sexual relations with men in exchange for money."
In an ironic tone, the post describes this fact as a "foolproof business" that inevitably leads to a "dead end."
The report concludes with a blunt message: “In the face of crime, illegalities, and social indiscipline, ZERO TOLERANCE!”, aligning with the official rhetoric of a hard-line stance against what they call “social indiscipline.”
Wave of Comments: Between Condemnation and Empathy
The public's reaction on social media was immediate and largely critical of the authorities' actions.
A wave of comments questioned the criminalization of women who, according to many voices, are simply trying to survive in a country where inflation, unemployment, and food shortages have become part of everyday life.
A user expressed it bluntly: “They’re here for that, but not for the criminals and those who are robbing. The boll... belongs to her and she can do whatever she wants with it.”
Another internet user went further by pointing to the root of the problem:
"If people are dying of hunger and the only thing they have to sell is papaya, then who cares? Get ready to learn from all the murderers and robbers who are out there."
The low purchasing power and inflation also emerged as structural causes of the phenomenon:
"Increase salaries and lower prices so this doesn’t continue happening; otherwise, it will keep happening because salaries are not enough."
Pimp or victim of the system?
Some comments also questioned the label of "pimp," arguing that this was not a case of exploitation, but rather an informal network of mutual support among women driven to prostitution out of necessity.
A user who claimed to know the detained person stated: “That is Lila, she is a very good person. She is a nurse.”
Another commented:
“She has a job, but the overweight individuals don’t work and take money from that woman who is engaged in the oldest profession in the world. Find her a better-paying job and don’t blame her.”
A similar approach was taken by those who defended women's right to make decisions about their bodies without state interference.
"Here, no one forces anyone to have sexual relations. They did it out of the necessity that exists in the country, as many families do not have a meal for their children," someone pointed out.
“Tell me, which woman doesn’t even charge her husband?” another one joked.
Criticism of the double standard
More than one comment also pointed out the contrast between the speed with which actions are taken against such cases and the impunity with which, they allege, criminals, thieves, or even corrupt officials operate
"It is very easy to judge; suddenly, the one who does it may be well-fed and have their life sorted out."
"To criticize a woman in Cuba for selling her body without first considering the devastating socioeconomic reality of the country is pure hypocrisy. No one chooses that life out of pleasure; it is chosen out of necessity. What is truly immoral is not survival, but judging, humiliating, and belittling those who do what they can to get ahead in a country where opportunities are a luxury," argued another internet user.
While some internet users applauded the police action with phrases like "tough on crime" or "zero tolerance," others warned of a selective judicial and moral system that criminalizes the most vulnerable while ignoring more serious and widespread crimes.
Although some voices warned about the possibility of minors being involved in these types of networks—which is a more serious crime—the majority of the comments focused on condemning the hypocrisy of a state apparatus that punishes poor women for doing the only thing they have left: surviving.
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