Anabel Hernández, a Cuban residing in Italy, recently took to Facebook to express her strong disapproval towards Ada Galano, the president of the National Coordinator of Cubans Living in Italy (CONACI).
From Havana, where she was participating in the solidarity convoy "Our America," Galano recorded a video defending hotels in Cuba, despite the fact that many provinces are enduring power outages exceeding 20 hours daily. Her message was broadcasted from a hotel where she was staying, and she boldly stated, "Cubans who demand the closure of hotels do not love their people."
Hernández, visibly upset, challenged the ethics of someone enjoying uninterrupted power in a Cuban hotel, while their relatives on the island are left in the dark.
"Why are you so shameless? Why are you so shameless?" Hernández directly questioned Galano in her video.
The core of Hernández's argument is both economic and moral: if Galano is spending over a thousand euros weekly on a hotel, that money could be better used to support her family in Cuba.
"Those thousand euros you're spending on a hotel, not knowing if your family has electricity for 14 hours... You're talking about hotels while staying in one with food and everything provided. It would be better to share those thousand euros with your family," Hernández asserts.
Hernández also suggests practical alternatives for Galano: "If you truly want to help your family, go home and buy a generator. For instance, with the money spent on the hotel, buy a loaf of bread for your neighbor if you wish to assist."
This controversy unfolds amid Cuba's most severe energy crisis. The tourism sector, managed by the military conglomerate GAESA, ensures that hotels maintain power through generators, while ordinary citizens face extensive blackouts. This disparity has fueled a heated debate among Cubans abroad on social media.
In addition to her defense of the hotels, Galano has also called for access to rifles to defend the Cuban regime. She made this request during a meeting with Miguel Díaz-Canel, further intensifying overseas criticism against her.
Controversies Surrounding Cuban Hotels and Energy Crisis
Why are Cuban hotels a contentious issue?
Cuban hotels have become a contentious issue because they maintain electricity through generators despite the country's widespread power outages. This situation exacerbates the disparity between the tourist sector and the general population, who endure prolonged blackouts.
What is the role of GAESA in the Cuban tourism sector?
GAESA, a military-controlled conglomerate, manages the tourism sector in Cuba. They ensure that hotels have uninterrupted power supply through generators, even during the country's severe energy crisis.
How did Ada Galano's actions intensify criticism?
Ada Galano intensified criticism by defending the Cuban hotels while staying in one during power outages and requesting access to rifles to defend the regime, actions that have been met with disapproval, especially from Cubans abroad.