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The return of a stolen television from a nursing home in Isla de la Juventud was hailed by Cuban authorities as a police achievement, in a display that has drawn criticism for the disparity between the official narrative and the reality faced by citizens.
According to the report from the Facebook page of the National Revolutionary Police (PNR), the organization organized an event at the Elderly Home in Nueva Gerona to return equipment that had been stolen after breaching the facility's perimeter. The scene, far from going unnoticed, was turned into a public event, attended by authorities and featuring speeches of recognition.
The operation also included the delivery of other recovered items—a television and an electric iron—to a resident of the Nazareno neighborhood, who had been a victim of a burglary at his home.
The authorities emphasized the role of the neighbors in identifying those involved, highlighting the "cooperation of the people" as key to clarifying the events. They even publicly acknowledged the work of a sector chief from the PNR, in a narrative that insists on showcasing the effectiveness of police work.
However, the episode has caught attention for what it reveals beyond the act itself. In a country where theft and insecurity have been on the rise, the recovery of a television and some basic appliances is seen as a success that justifies official celebration.
For many Cubans, both on and off the island, the image is hard to ignore: a household appliance returned to a vulnerable home, turned into a symbol of an alleged victory, while deeper issues persist, such as a lack of resources, the deterioration of institutions, and the rise in crime.
The fact that a center housing the elderly has been breached also highlights the fragility of spaces that should be particularly protected, amid a context where the economic crisis continues to push more people towards illegality.
According to the Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory (OCAC), the reported crimes in Cuba increased by 115.11% in 2025 compared to 2024, with a total of 2,833 crimes and 1,536 thefts, marking an increase of over 479% compared to 2023.
In that context, just days before this event in the Isle of Youth, a private daycare center in Santiago de Cuba was completely looted —refrigerators, televisions, educational materials, and money— without any police response preventing the incident.
More than an achievement, what happened in Nueva Gerona raises an open question: To what extent do these actions reflect a genuine ability to respond to insecurity, or are they part of an effort to demonstrate control amid an increasingly complex reality?
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