The Cuban journalist Javier Díaz shared this Sunday a moment of family concern while his father underwent emergency surgery in Spain for appendicitis, a situation that led him to reflect on what might have happened if the medical emergency had occurred in Cuba.
During a live broadcast on Facebook, while waiting for the operation to conclude, Díaz acknowledged that he was confident everything would turn out well, but he admitted that he immediately thought of the challenges faced by thousands of Cuban families when they encounter similar situations on the island.
"It comes to my mind that if he had been in Cuba, it would have been very difficult; perhaps he might not have survived an emergency like this," he stated.
Díaz explained that his father had been in pain for the last 48 hours and that he was currently undergoing emergency surgery.
The journalist made the broadcast from the studios of Univision 23 in Miami, where he was fulfilling his work responsibilities while awaiting news from Spain.
His personal situation reminded him of the numerous messages he receives from people inside Cuba who need medications or even have to procure the necessary supplies on their own before undergoing surgery.
"I really don't know how someone facing an emergency like my father is right now could actually survive," said Díaz, who stated he knows of cases where people with medical emergencies have ended up losing their lives.
He also mentioned the lack of electricity, medical supplies, and antibiotics as factors that increase the uncertainty for those in need of emergency intervention on the island.
His concern aligns with data recently acknowledged by the Cuban government itself: 98,500 patients remain on surgical waiting lists, including around 12,000 children, amid a severe shortage of resources and medications.
The journalist expressed feeling particularly grateful that his family emigrated and currently resides in Spain.
"I feel more than proud that my family made the decision to emigrate and be in Spain," he stated, while also expressing gratitude to the European country for welcoming them.
"If I can feel somewhat calm and confident thousands of kilometers away and still carry out my work, it is because I know that this emergency operation is not taking place in Cuba, but in a country that, at least in terms of public health, many criticize, yet it is truly in capable hands," he added.
Díaz stated that he constantly receives requests for help related to the Cuban health crisis, from individuals looking for medications to undergo surgery, to mothers writing to him because they cannot find treatments for their children.
"I really can't keep up with answering each of the messages or posting every single story," she confessed, before expressing her solidarity with those facing similar health situations with their relatives in Cuba.
The communicator also took advantage of the broadcast to hold the Cuban political system responsible for the decline in living conditions. He asserted that families are "bearing the brunt" of a regime that, in his words, does not want to make profound changes to its policies or its economy.
From Miami, while waiting for news about her father's surgery outcome, Díaz concluded her reflection by insisting that she did not intend to compare her situation with the anguish of those who have a sick relative on the island.
"I don’t want to put myself in the position of many Cubans who have to go through this with their loved ones in Cuba," she expressed.
The personal moment also comes just before an important professional change for Díaz.
This Friday it was announced that he will take over as the host of the 6:00 p.m. newscast of Univision Miami, alongside Jenny Padura. Until now, he was in charge of the weekend news edition.
His recent work has also been marked by stories from the Cuban community. At the beginning of August, he shared the case of a Cuban with I-220A who lost essential documents in Hialeah needed for work and driving and asked for help to recover them.
She has also used her social media to showcase the daily reality in Cuba. In June, she shared the testimony of
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