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Funeral Crisis in Santiago de Cuba Worsens: Hearse Breaks Down in Public

Thursday, August 1, 2024 by Olivia Torres

Funeral Crisis in Santiago de Cuba Worsens: Hearse Breaks Down in Public
Hearse broken down in Plaza de Marte, Santiago de Cuba - Image © Facebook / Yosmany Mayeta Labrada

The ongoing funeral service crisis in Santiago de Cuba continues to produce distressing scenes, such as a hearse breaking down in the heart of the historic center, near the Plaza de Marte.

Journalist Yosmany Mayeta shared on Facebook an image of the broken-down hearse on a public street in Santiago de Cuba. Although he did not specify whether the vehicle was transporting a body, the post highlights the current crisis in funeral services in the eastern province.

"There are no hearses in Santiago de Cuba, and this vehicle broke down in the middle of the Plaza de Marte," commented a communicator who has repeatedly denounced the issues with transporting the deceased in the region.

“What it carries in the back is a Chinese,” Mayeta quipped.

Last May, a coffin fell from a hearse and lay in the middle of Garzón Avenue, creating a grotesque scene in Santiago de Cuba. The unfortunate incident, reported by Mayeta on his Facebook profile, occurred in front of a daycare center and in a heavily trafficked area of the eastern city, a few blocks from the provincial headquarters of the PCC and near the intersection marking kilometer 969 of the Central Highway.

A similar incident happened in June, a month later, also in Santiago de Cuba. Another coffin fell from the hearse transporting it, this time on Calle 4 in the Mariana de la Torre neighborhood, according to journalist Mayeta, who posted a video on his social media recorded by a witness of the grim scene.

The footage shows a woman and a man attempting to reposition the body in the coffin just moments before they manage to put the lid back on, which apparently broke during the fall.

"I hope such distressing scenes do not repeat because the family's pain increases in the presence of such events. I call on Santiago de Cuba's communal and funeral services to make sturdier and higher-quality coffins," Mayeta wrote.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Funeral Service Crisis in Santiago de Cuba

The article highlights the deteriorating state of funeral services in Santiago de Cuba, raising several questions among readers. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers regarding the situation.

What is causing the funeral service crisis in Santiago de Cuba?

The funeral service crisis in Santiago de Cuba is largely due to the lack of resources and proper management, resulting in a shortage of functional hearses and durable coffins.

How are local authorities responding to the funeral service crisis?

Despite repeated calls for action, local authorities have yet to provide an effective solution to the funeral service crisis, leaving many residents to cope with distressing and undignified scenes.

What has been the public reaction to these incidents?

Public reaction has been one of outrage and despair, with many calling for immediate improvements to the funeral services and better management of resources.

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