Arlety Llerena Martínez is the mother of Jorgito Reina, a young Cuban boy battling leukemia, who has been desperately waiting for nearly a year to receive a humanitarian visa to travel to the United States. Their ultimate goal is to reach the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Florida where Jorgito, only seven years old, needs a bone marrow transplant. The recent widespread power outages across Cuba, starting from October 18, have only compounded their hardships, leaving many Cubans on edge.
In a candid interview with CiberCuba, Arlety expressed her greatest challenge during these blackouts: the lack of water. Given Jorgito's weakened immune system, maintaining strict hygiene is crucial. They have faced dire situations, struggling even to secure drinking water, often relying on the generosity of neighbors, as Jorgito's condition prohibits him from consuming just anything.
Unaware of the critical urgency of his situation, Jorgito is set to begin another round of chemotherapy next week. His mother confesses that he doesn't grasp that his life hinges on obtaining the humanitarian visa that would allow them to travel swiftly to the U.S., where his father resides. Each passing day is a race against time.
Political Tensions Amid Personal Struggles
Last September, Jorgito's father reached out to the office of Republican Senator Marco Rubio, seeking intervention with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Cuban-American senator successfully secured a commitment to expedite the review of Jorgito's case. However, this involvement sparked controversy with the Cuban regime, which retaliated by airing a television segment featuring unauthorized images of Arlety and Jorgito, without inviting them to participate or share their side of the story.
Arlety learned of this incident through neighbors who saw it on the news. Despite the political spectacle, her focus remains steadfastly on her son's health rather than political disputes.
A Child's Simple Wishes
In her conversation with CiberCuba, Arlety revealed that what Jorgito misses most is not being able to play with other children, attend birthday parties, or visit a park—simple joys that are now beyond his reach due to his compromised immune system. This isolation has also resulted in persistent head injuries that refuse to heal properly.
Though Jorgito may appear healthy on the outside, his mother clarifies that appearances are deceiving. He endures restless nights due to abdominal pain and digestive issues, taking more medication than food, which has caused noticeable swelling.
Concluding her interview, Arlety made a heartfelt plea to the USCIS for a humanitarian visa, emphasizing that each day without it only worsens her son's condition. She acknowledges that many Cuban mothers face similarly dire circumstances but pleads for Jorgito, whose only chance at a normal life lies in receiving care at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Florida.