Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz made an appearance this Wednesday in Cauto Cristo, a municipality in Granma Province, where he surveyed the destruction left by Hurricane Melissa. The storm, which hit the eastern region of the island at the end of October, caused significant flooding.
During his visit, which was featured in a report by the National News, Marrero engaged with a small group of hurricane victims. He surprised them by asking, “How many mattresses were damaged here? Have you received any yet?”
This unexpected focus on mattresses by the prime minister seems more like a political maneuver rather than an act of genuine concern. This incident follows shortly after a tense encounter involving Miguel Díaz-Canel during his visit to El Cobre, in Santiago de Cuba, another heavily affected area.
In Santiago de Cuba, a distressed woman confronted Díaz-Canel about losing her bed to the hurricane. His dismissive response, "I don't have one to give you right now either," was caught on camera and quickly went viral, sparking widespread criticism of the regime for its inefficiency and lack of empathy towards the thousands of Cuban families affected by the disaster.
Local authorities in Cauto Cristo, where Marrero visited, reported that 103 bed mattresses and 56 personal mattresses were damaged. So far, the community has received only 50 bed mattresses and 26 personal ones, distributed to families who have returned to their homes, while others remain displaced. There was no clear timeline provided for the delivery of the remaining mattresses.
Marrero promised that the government would provide financial support in severe cases. “The most important thing is to understand each household and family's situation. Also, when they gather, if there's a family struggling severely and in need of financial assistance, we will provide monetary aid,” he stated.
Marrero’s visit and sudden concern for the mattress situation appear to be an attempt to mitigate the negative publicity caused by Díaz-Canel's actions and to project an image of governmental responsiveness to the humanitarian crisis in eastern Cuba.
More than two weeks after Melissa's impact, numerous families in Granma, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba remain without homes and mattresses, and without clear answers, while officials focus on media appearances rather than tangible solutions to the growing public discontent.
Questions About Cuba's Response to Hurricane Melissa
How did Hurricane Melissa affect eastern Cuba?
Hurricane Melissa caused severe flooding in eastern Cuba, particularly impacting the provinces of Granma, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba, leaving many families homeless and without essential items like mattresses.
What was the public reaction to Díaz-Canel's response during his visit to El Cobre?
Díaz-Canel's dismissive response to a woman's plea for help went viral, resulting in widespread criticism of the Cuban government's lack of empathy and efficiency in addressing the needs of hurricane victims.
What measures did Manuel Marrero propose for aiding those affected by the hurricane?
Manuel Marrero suggested that the government would provide financial assistance to families in extreme need and emphasized the importance of assessing the situation of each household individually.