Aylin González Rodríguez, mother of three children with chronic illnesses in Santa Clara, reported that the mattresses provided to her children were filled with a material she described as "intimate nylon," instead of a conventional filling for these types of products.
"They gave mattresses filled with nylon to sick children, it's outrageous, truly outrageous. Tell me, how do you expect me to refer to this? Now let's also blame the blockade," the woman denounced on Facebook.
The publication is part of a series of cries for help that the mother has made in recent weeks due to the difficult conditions in which she claims to care for her three young children.
Two of them—a ten-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl—suffer from PANDAS, a pediatric neuropsychiatric disorder associated with strep infections that, as their mother explains, causes them tics, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, panic attacks, aggression, and self-harm, among other symptoms.
Her youngest daughter, for her part, has gastrointestinal issues, lactose and gluten intolerance, and asthma, in addition to experiencing episodes of diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration.
The illnesses of children make prolonged power outages particularly difficult for families. On Facebook, González explains that he needs electricity to use the nebulizer, store medications and food, and prepare meals for his children. He also states that rest is essential to manage the symptoms of the two children with PANDAS.
In addition to the power outages, there is a shortage of water. According to their testimony, the supply only reaches their neighborhood twice a month, and sometimes it coincides with blackouts, making it difficult to fill the household tanks.
The precarious situation was particularly exposed on August 24, when González stated that he had to run two blocks carrying one of his daughters in his arms to reach the children's hospital because he had no money to pay for transportation.
The girl had diarrhea, vomiting, fever, headache, and skin lesions. After initially being discharged, she had to return to the medical center hours later and remained there for more than four hours. According to her account, mother and daughter walked back home afterward.
"While at the risk of bleeding out I carried my unconscious daughter to the hospital because I couldn't afford transportation, they were driving in cars to their meetings," the woman questioned, referring to local officials.
González claims to have approached the municipal government, the provincial government, the Communist Party, and social assistance services in Santa Clara in search of a solution.
According to their testimony, officials have come to recognize their family's situation as "the most critical case in the territory," but the response they receive is that they must wait for the arrival of a photovoltaic kit to ensure electricity in their home.
The mother is also facing her own health issues. González claims to be an oncology patient, insulin-dependent diabetic, and epileptic, and that she underwent surgery just a few months ago.
She also reports that she has been monitored by State Security and stigmatized for her demands while trying to earn income through the sale of candies.
"I have cancer, diabetes, and I am epileptic, but that won't stop me from speaking out. They need urgent help, not to fade away while I also dim trying to return the innocent spark of their childhood and the hope for a better tomorrow," she wrote.
The complaint about the mattresses brings to mind other episodes related to the poor quality of these products in Cuba. In August 2025, a mother discovered that a mattress sent for repair had been filled with dry grass, while in 2024, a victim of Hurricane Oscar in Baracoa reported the terrible conditions of one of the mattresses sold by the State.
González's demand, however, goes beyond the conditions of the mattresses: he is asking for a solution that ensures water, electricity, and basic care for his three sick children.
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