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The home of Yaneydis Hechavarría, President of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power of Santiago de Cuba, was the target of a robbery that sparked a wave of public outrage after the immediate police response deployed to resolve the case became known, in stark contrast to the usual inaction concerning similar crimes affecting ordinary citizens.
The incident occurred on Thursday night at 6th Street, number 111, between C and D, Reparto Municipal, in the area known as the Hoyo de Chicharrones, a neighborhood with a high incidence of crime in the municipality of Santiago.
The official herself confirmed the theft this Saturday in a Facebook post: "Unfortunately, yes, I was robbed; I reported the theft on Thursday night."
According to Hechavarría, the stolen items included a blender, two wall fans, a bedspread, sheets, clothing, perfumes, creams, personal items, and "a bag containing 10 packages of 1 kg rice and 12 packages of detergent purchased for family use."
The official identified the main culprit: "The thief has already confessed, he lives next to my house, a 17-year-old young man; it's a shame because I saw him grow up and he played with my children."
The teenager's confession led to the recovery of the two wall fans. Two other young men who had been initially detained—identified in the original report as Ivan Ernesto, alias Moñita, and Dairon, alias Chupón—were released after their innocence was established.
What sparked the most outrage was not the robbery itself, but the speed of the state's response. "That’s when the patrols, the police, and everything showed up quickly," commented a neighbor.
Several residents from the same neighborhood reported on social media that when they were robbed, the police never responded. One neighbor recounted filing a report in January and is still waiting for a reply. Another pointed out, "My cousin was robbed of everything in Chicharrones over 25 days ago and no one has come yet."
The quantity and variety of goods accumulated in the household also raised questions.
Internet users pointed out that the house was functioning as a storage facility: "She doesn't live there; she uses that house for storage. It all seems like she has a small business."
Several users speculated that the items —rice, detergent, appliances— could come from donations intended for victims of Hurricane Melisa, which hit eastern Cuba in 2024. "I don't justify the theft, but she also needs to be investigated about where she got all that, because in the circles, there's not even boiling water," wrote an internet user.
Instead of explaining the origin of the goods, Hechavarría criticized the "lack of ethics" of independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who published the complaint on Friday, organized a rally in the neighborhood, and described herself as a "Revolutionary and defender of social justice" who will continue "on the front lines of the fight."
The public reaction on social media was strong. The phrase "a thief who steals from a thief has a hundred years of forgiveness" was echoed in dozens of comments. Others directly questioned the origin of the accumulated wealth: "And how much does he earn to have a small business?" asked an internet user. Another was more straightforward: "That's why they don't want to give up power; they have it all."
A resident of the neighborhood summarized the general sentiment: "The theft is not justified, but it is also unjust to hold a public judgment in the street while others accumulate everything and the community suffers."
Mayeta Labrada responded to the official's criticism with a phrase that encapsulates the debate: "In Cuba, it often doesn't bother people that stealing occurs. What bothers them is that it becomes known."
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