Rolando Zaldívar Exits Rehab Program for Third Time in the U.S.

Cuban broadcaster Rolando Zaldívar has once again distanced himself from recovery, as he voluntarily left a rehabilitation center last Saturday just days after enrolling. This marks his third departure from such a program, as reported by the community project Conducta Dade on their social media platforms.

"We are saddened to announce that Rolando Zaldívar has exited a rehab program for the third time," the organization shared. They had managed to admit him on October 16 to a facility situated outside of Miami, away from the environment he has been accustomed to for years.

Conducta Dade waited 48 hours before making the second admission public, specifically to ensure Zaldívar remained in the program. The announcement of this new attempt came with a caution: "We are not celebrating a recovery that has not yet happened. We are celebrating that Rolando has taken an important step. It is now up to him to seize this opportunity." Merely five days later, the broadcaster chose to leave.

In the video released after his departure, Zaldívar himself appears discussing his physical exhaustion, showing little awareness of the severity of his situation. He mentions having a hemoglobin level of 7 and suffering from chronic anemia, and talks about immediate plans like going for a bike ride, without addressing the treatment he just abandoned.

Conducta Dade acknowledged reaching an emotional and operational limit: "We have done everything within our power to help, support, and offer new opportunities to him. But there comes a point when the decision is no longer in our hands." Their stance is summed up clearly: "Help can open doors, but it is Rolando who must choose to walk through them."

This third exit marks the latest chapter in a story that has spanned almost a year. Zaldívar was arrested in Miami in November 2025 for petty theft and cocaine possession, with bail set at merely $150. The release of his mugshot, showing him visibly worn, stirred the Cuban community. By February 2026, he publicly acknowledged his addiction, admitting to using substances for "approximately a year and a bit."

The first attempt at rehabilitation ended with him leaving the facility in April 2026. Months later, in August, he was discovered again on the streets of Miami in a state of extreme physical exhaustion, expressing his plight with the words: "For everyone, including myself, dreams were shattered."

Zaldívar was one of the most recognized voices on Cuban radio during the 1990s, particularly for his work on "Disco Fiesta 98" at Radio Ciudad de La Habana. After emigrating from Cuba, he lived in Mexico and Houston before settling in Miami in 2014, where addiction gradually pulled him away from the media and the life he once knew.

Conducta Dade, an initiative founded in Miami in October 2024 to assist homeless individuals—especially Cuban migrants struggling with addictions—has been the driving force behind Zaldívar's recovery efforts. Despite the recent setback, the organization remains hopeful: "At Conducta, we will continue to wish him the best. Because helping also means understanding that we cannot make the decision to recover for someone else."