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The animal rights advocate, Evelin Sara Cruz Álvarez, reported on social media last Tuesday the deplorable conditions in which the animals at the Colón Zoo, in the province of Matanzas, are living, describing the place as "a cemetery in life."
According to a post on her Facebook account, Cruz described the cages at the facility as “cells for slow torture,” claiming that the lions are confined in a concrete pit, surrounded by feces and urine, while other animals are overcrowded and without veterinary care.
"Misery reflects in their eyes. These are not cages; they are cells of slow torture. The Colón Zoo is a living cemetery for these animals," wrote the activist, who accompanied her complaint with images of the deplorable condition of the place.
Among the cases he recounted, he mentioned a dog locked in a rusty, dirty cubicle, a monkey living on wet concrete, a caged cat that wouldn't stop meowing, and a sick puppy without food or water.
"This is not a habitat; it is a criminal abandonment," he warned.
The defender reported that she has already filed a formal complaint with evidence to the Municipal Ministry of Agriculture, but the authorities replied that they do not have the authority to demand changes.
"Empty promises of doing and doing, requests for votes of confidence. Enough already," he claimed.
Cruz demanded the immediate intervention of the local government and the rescue of all the animals from the zoo, urging that they be relocated to environments where they can receive proper care.
"Time is running out. If the authorities continue to look the other way, they will be directly responsible for the death and suffering occurring here," he warned.
The Colón Zoo, a state-run facility that previously served as a recreational space for families, has faced ongoing criticism due to the deterioration of its facilities and animal mistreatment.
From its official page on Facebook, the Havana chapter of Bienestar Animal Cuba (BAC-Habana) supported the complaint and stated that reports of animal abuse in state zoos are increasing across the country.
"The people of Cuba continue to speak loudly and clearly. The complaints about BAC keep exposing the worst of the Zoo Company. Reports are skyrocketing across the country. It can no longer be hidden," they stated.
However, so far no authorities from the municipality or the Ministry of Agriculture have made any public statements regarding this new allegation.
Recently, BAC urged the public not to visit the zoos in Cuba, warning about the lack of veterinary care and the widespread deterioration of these facilities, as is the case in Colón, where the animals live in abandonment and ruin.
An official journalist visited the Havana Zoo and described rusted cages, persistent humidity, extreme dirtiness, and visibly affected animals, in an environment without veterinarians or an adequate feeding program.
Meanwhile, in Santiago de Cuba, a zoo worker responded with a blunt "there they are" in reaction to the reports of sick animals without food, highlighting the institutional indifference.
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