The Cuban broadcaster and actress Laritza Camacho published a harsh reflection on hunger, diseases, violence, and emigration in Cuba this Thursday, based on situations that, as she describes, any citizen can recognize in their neighborhood, family, or circle of friends, even if they are not reflected in the official news.
In a post published on her Facebook profile, Camacho questioned the disparity between the figures that are reported, the international recognition the country receives, and the everyday experiences of those living on the Island.
The communicator began by recalling the COVID-19 pandemic and the distrust that, in her experience, arose when infections and deaths started to impact people close to her.
"In the times of COVID, you listened to the reports with respect, but when the sick and deceased started to be your acquaintances or were increasingly present in your block and neighborhood, you understood that the numbers must have been higher than what they stated," he wrote.
With that comparison, he introduced an idea that runs throughout his publication: the reality experienced firsthand can be very different from what is conveyed by official reports and statistics.
Camacho later transferred that perception to the country's health situation, discussing hepatitis A and the accumulation of waste in the streets.
«When you have hepatitis A and you see case after case of the same, you find the certainty that littering in the streets does more damage than the plague or the matter of public decorum,” he stated.
Concern about diseases and hygienic conditions has recent origins.
At the end of September, the Ministry of Public Health itself acknowledged an increase in communicable diseases amid difficulties with water, environmental sanitation, and waste collection.
Health authorities then acknowledged issues related to dengue, chikungunya, diarrheal diseases, hepatitis, and respiratory infections.
The accumulation of garbage and the deterioration of basic services are part of that scenario, although the cause of each infection requires a specific medical and epidemiological assessment.
The host dedicated another part of her reflection to the migratory exodus, which she described not through statistics, but through the farewells and the empty houses that are left behind.
"When your acquaintances leave for Brazil or some far-off place, and everyone has short, medium, or long-term plans to leave, the million emigrants they mention seems like an underestimated number," he pointed out.
Her description then shifted from the numbers to the family consequences of emigration.
"When all your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers have their children outside, no one needs to explain to you the loneliness of the Cuban and its silent tears," he wrote.
And he added, "When there are more than two vacant houses in your block, you know that malanga has left, and soon there will be no one to look after the food stand."
The image of vacant homes reflects a broader demographic concern. A recent analysis of the Cuban exodus and population decline examined the consequences of emigration for families, the aging of society, and the reduction in the working-age population.
Camacho also spoke about the difficulties of transportation and the impact of prices on workers.
"When you see that there are many rikimbilis driving around the streets and people continue to walk sweating, you know that many cannot afford the ride to their work or their home," he expressed, referencing the economic limitations that affect daily mobility.
But one of his most powerful statements was dedicated to the salary and the inability to meet basic needs.
"When your salary runs out on the same day and you've only bought hunger, you know that you don't need to put on a disguise to be considered a 'vulnerable worker' or a 'vulnerable worker'," he wrote.
The loss of purchasing power has been reflected in recent testimonies. At the end of September, a worker demonstrated how a purchase of basic food items consumed almost her entire salary of 5,000 pesos, leaving her with insufficient money to buy meat, eggs, or oil.
The situation was also addressed in an analysis of the food crisis in Cuba, which gathered data on inflation and findings from a survey indicating that a significant portion of the households consulted had faced difficulties in accessing food.
Street violence took center stage in the publication. Camacho recounted the case of a man who, as reported to him in a WhatsApp group, fell into a coma after being struck with a pipe during a robbery in which his motorcycle was stolen.
"When in your small WhatsApp group, a desperate friend talks about a cousin in a coma because he got hit over the head to steal his motorcycle... you know that horror is not just a Saturday night movie," he wrote.
According to his account, the man later died, and there were other people in the same hospital who were seriously injured due to episodes of violence.
"When in the same hospital, next to that man (who ultimately dies), there are many beaten and seriously injured from assaults and street violence, you know that the deceased is at the forefront and the pain is overwhelming," he stated.
The conclusion of Camacho's reflection focused on the international image of Cuba and, in particular, on the contrast between the issues he described and the recognition received by the authorities of the country.
"When none of that appears in the news but you read that your starving, violent, and dark Cuba received an international award for sustainability and food culture, you realize that the world knows nothing about what is happening in your homeland or turns away and also laughs, complicit in all that is happening," she concluded.
The intervention this Thursday continues a line of public questioning that Camacho has maintained over the past few weeks.
At the beginning of the month, while reflecting on nostalgia and the deterioration of daily life, she stated that "nobody would miss the taste of bread if they weren't eating stone." This serves as a metaphor for current hardships and the longing for better times.
Days later, he directly questioned the Cuban leaders and argued that "they should go out and protest against themselves," holding them accountable for the conditions the population is facing.
By the end of September, she had already criticized attempts to censor images that show the country's deterioration, stating that "the problem has never been the photo or the photographer."
Related videos:
Filed under: