A Cuban doctor from the family doctor system received a rechargeable ventilator for her son with special needs from Miami after her case moved people on social media.
Zuleidy Martínez moved thousands of people after posting a photograph of her 15-year-old son, Ángel, lying on the floor of their home with the text "How long, my God?".
The case was reported by journalist Javier Díaz on the television channel Univision 23 and triggered a wave of solidarity that came from Miami.
Ángel was born with cerebral palsy and cannot depend on himself. "He is a bedridden child, a child we feed ourselves, that is, he cannot take care of himself," the doctor described in the report. Her husband, Darian Casanova, had to leave his job to dedicate himself to caring for the child at home while she attends to her patients daily. The couple also has two younger children.
The family does not have their own home: the doctor works from the family physician's office precisely because that is the only roof they live under. This precarious situation is compounded by the breakdown of their refrigerator, with no possibility of replacement, and the regime's refusal to even provide a solar panel to accommodate Ángel's disability.
It was a resident of Miami who, moved by the image of the child on the floor, sent financial assistance to the family to acquire a rechargeable fan, a luxury item in Cuba given the deep energy crisis the country is facing. "We are very grateful to this girl for helping us with a little rechargeable fan because we haven't been able to get the government to provide us with a solar panel due to our disability," the doctor stated.
Despite the difficulties, the doctor remains focused on her vocation. "By attending to my entire community day by day, loving and caring for my pregnant patients so they do not suffer what I suffered, and striving for a better life for my children," she stated.
The case generated a wide response on social media. A neighbor identified as Leidanys Fleites Rodriguez confirmed that she is the doctor from her clinic and described Casanova as "an unconditional wonderful father to his three children, but with Ángel, the world was shaken." She added, "We are living, or rather surviving, very difficult times in every sense, and when there is a child or other individuals with limitations, it becomes even more challenging."
Another user, Lety Almeida, expressed her concern about the possible consequences for the doctor: "I sincerely hope that the government does not retaliate against her, but rather supports her. They have so many resources and ways to do this that they could take advantage of this situation to show that they truly stand by and value their professionals."
The fear of retaliation is a recurring element among Cuban mothers with disabled children who publicly denounce their situation, in front of a State that systematically denies them real institutional support. Yanelis Rafaela Castillo captured the sentiment of many: "It's not easy. One cannot be blind to reality. And it's not just them; thousands of mothers are going through the same thing."
The drama of this family is not an isolated case. According to the IX Report from the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, 94% of the Cuban population lives in extreme poverty, a figure that increased from the 89% recorded in 2025.
The Univision 23 report also highlighted that over 41,000 children in Cuba live with special needs and that nearly 100,000 families are waiting for housing, in a country where the housing deficit exceeds 800,000 units.
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