Cuban Woman in Uruguay Voices Frustration After Accident: "We're Nobody Here"

A 29-year-old Cuban woman has publicly criticized the lack of medical care and institutional support she faced following a traffic accident in Montevideo. Through a Facebook post in the group "Cubans in Uruguay," Nora Paz detailed the distressing experience she endured on Thursday, May 15.

Having arrived in Uruguay just a month ago, Nora recounted how she was cycling past the Urofarma company when an employee's car unexpectedly crossed her path, leading to a collision that injured her leg. According to her account, she remained on the ground for over two hours awaiting medical assistance, but no ambulance arrived.

"Police arrived within five minutes and took statements, but nothing was done to the woman responsible, despite the incident being caught on camera," Nora wrote. When she was eventually transported, she was denied hospital care due to a lack of medical insurance and was not allocated a bed in any public hospital.

Back home, her pain worsened. Nora attempted to reach emergency services by dialing 105 and 911, yet received no help. "No one came to rescue me; the ambulance never showed," she lamented. With the support of acquaintances, she managed to make a makeshift splint using a board and a towel. "Thank God it wasn't more serious, or I'd be regretting it," she expressed.

Nora also condemned the lack of empathy from the driver involved in the crash, pointing out that despite working for a pharmaceutical company, the driver offered no medication or aid. "We're nobody here. Not back home either, but even less here," she wrote, referencing her status as a Cuban immigrant.

She concluded her message by urging others to share her story to reach relevant authorities and seek justice. "I don't ask anything of those reading this, just to spread the word," she ended her post.

The incident sparked various reactions within the migrant community in Uruguay. Some noted that experiences like Nora's are more common than publicly acknowledged, while others suggested she lacked knowledge on how to handle such situations.

"I got public health coverage the day after I arrived in Uruguay and have had great experiences for nearly seven years. If not, I would have switched to private insurance. The woman who hit you won't provide medication just because she works in a pharmaceutical company; the business isn't hers," clarified a woman from Camagüey.

"My husband had an accident, underwent surgery, and it was all free. You just need to affiliate with ASSE (State Health Services)," another young woman shared.

"You need to arrange for public healthcare; they can affiliate you even with a passport," advised a Cuban father.

"Go to Uruguay Street, where you'll find free public attorneys for everyone, and file a complaint there. They'll guide you on how to claim insurance from the person who hit you," another Cuban suggested.

"In public health, I waited two and a half days in emergency for a doctor to see my family member. It's not because you're Cuban; healthcare is a disaster," a Uruguayan woman assured.

"Poor girl, if the roles were reversed and it happened in Cuba, she'd be treated better than any Cuban. But the reality is that if we're nothing in our country, it's far worse abroad, without family by our side," a Cuban woman remarked.