Former police officer, 42, dies in Santiago de Cuba after hours of waiting for medical attention

Santiago de Cuba has once again recorded a tragedy that highlights the collapse of the healthcare system on the Island: Yordanis Beltrán Beltrán, 42 years old, passed away due to medical negligence, lack of medications and supplies, and a critical delay in emergency care.

According to the testimony of his relatives, he was initially taken to the José Martí district polyclinic, where the lack of electricity made it impossible to provide even minimal care for a critically ill patient.

The lack of basic resources and the absence of a prompt response marked the beginning of what would be a fatal chain of errors, revealed a post by the communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada on Facebook.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the requested ambulance took over two hours to arrive, a delay that proved to be critical. The relatives tried to obtain help by calling the Government's command post, but they stated that no one responded to their pleas.

Finally, Yordanis was transferred to the guard room of the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital, where he suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away shortly after, highlighting the hospital network's inability to handle critical emergencies.

Relatives assert that it was not a "natural" death, but that the patient lost their life due to negligence.

This case once again highlights the profound crisis facing Cuban hospitals: deteriorating buildings, outdated medical equipment, shortages of medicines and basic supplies, and a healthcare staff that is often unmotivated or apathetic in the face of serious situations.

Every day, neglect and disregard lead to deaths that could have been prevented, while the population is left at the mercy of a system that is collapsing without the government providing effective solutions.

A paradox noted by some is that Yordanis, who worked as a patrol officer defending the regime, ended up neglected by the very government he once protected.

"The situation is like this in Cuba: when they use you, they then discard you. We are nothing more than pieces in their game of imposed theft and illusion. Then they don't want anyone saying that this government is worthless," said a neighbor of the victim.

This reflection highlights how the political and healthcare system on the island has turned once "useful" citizens into victims of inefficiency and neglect.

Yordanis' family expresses a widespread sentiment among Cubans: "I think it would be better to be in capitalism, even if you have to pay for healthcare, but earning in dollars... That's how this regime is: it uses you."

With each death, it becomes clear that the healthcare collapse and the government's lack of commitment to the lives of its citizens continue to leave a toll of avoidable tragedies across the Island.