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The official announcement regarding the helicopter transfer of a baby from the Isle of Youth to Havana sparked a storm of criticism on , where thousands of Cubans questioned the manipulative and triumphalist tone of the message and accused the regime of exploiting a delicate medical situation for political propaganda.
Under hashtags like #CubaPorLaVida and #CubaPorLaSalud, state media spread images of the young patient inside a Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) helicopter, accompanied by medical personnel.
The message highlighted "the fiber of which Cubans are made" and blamed the blockade by Donald Trump for the material shortages, attempting to turn the evacuation into a symbol of resistance and a direct consequence of the policies of the current occupant of the White House.
But the citizen response was immediate and largely opposed. What was intended to be a gesture of pride turned into a space of collective outrage. Thousands of users denounced the political use of a child's life, the deterioration of hospitals, and the hypocrisy of the official discourse.
"That's not an achievement, it's your duty."
Among the most repeated messages was the idea that "saving a life should not be propaganda, but rather a duty of the State".
A user summarized the general sentiment: "They shouldn't highlight that; it's the government's duty to protect its citizens, especially children. In any country, they would transport you by helicopter if you need it. Stop swallowing so much garbage with their propaganda."
Other comments insisted that the case was carefully selected to counteract the negative image of the Cuban healthcare system. “This is the case they chose to expose on social media and to the world. Just one. And how many children’s lives are lost every day due to a lack of medications or power in hospitals?”, an outraged user asked.
The irony was another recurring resource. “What a great feat! They save one life and kill thousands, what’s so impressive about that?”, asked a skeptical internet user.
Another one compared the Cuban military helicopter to emergency equipment from other countries: “That looks like a can of Russian meat with blades. In any civilized country, there are ambulance helicopters equipped to operate. In Cuba, we are still in the Cretaceous period.”
Indignation and pain: "They use suffering to justify misery."
Beyond the mockery, many comments reflected anger and frustration. “Do not use the pain of those parents to justify the misery of the system”, wrote a young Cuban.
“That child will be used by the dictatorship as long as it is convenient, and then forgotten like so many others. There is nothing heroic about doing what any government should always do,” commented another.
A third person pointed out the hypocrisy of the propaganda: “They publish a rescue to cover up thousands of deaths. They don’t mention that hospitals use plastic bottles as catheters and fishing line for sutures. They don’t talk about landfills, or mosquitoes, or malnutrition”.
From outside the Island, many Cubans denounced the contrast between the official message and everyday experience. “Stop blaming those from the outside. The blockade is internal. Hospitals are falling apart while the leaders live in luxury,” a Cuban woman stated.
In the same tone, another commented: “What a level of hypocrisy. They take the life of a baby to improve their image. I hope Trump keeps his word and takes action on Cuba so that no more children die from hunger and misery.”
"From Medical Power to Media Spectacle"
Dozens of users recalled recent cases of children who passed away due to lack of medical attention or transport. “Two days ago, a newborn died in Santa Clara because there was no ambulance,” wrote a user. “And now they make a circus with a helicopter,” she added.
Others pointed out the contrast with the regime's historical discourse: “In 67 years of revolution, they have not been able to build a hospital in the Isle of Youth with everything necessary. That demonstrates the failure of their medical prowess.”
"Saving a life is the right thing to do. What is outrageous is the hypocrisy of the regime: they turn a medical evacuation into propaganda, while thousands die in silence due to lack of supplies, doctors, or electricity. If love for humanity were genuine, a helicopter wouldn't be news: it would be a routine matter.", pointed out the most shared comment from the publication.
The gap between propaganda and reality
The avalanche of criticism revealed an increasingly deep fracture between the rhetoric of power and public perception.
The heroic narrative from official media clashes with a reality that most Cubans experience firsthand: hospitals lacking resources, blackouts that disrupt treatments, a shortage of essential medicines, and medical staff exhausted from years of shortages.
Trying to turn a medical emergency into a demonstration of the moral strength of socialism not only proved ineffective but also had the opposite effect: it exposed the deterioration of the system and the total loss of credibility of the communist regime.
In the words of an internet user, "if an old helicopter is a source of national pride, it's because there is nothing left to feel proud of."
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