A group of Cuban mothers gathered outside the Boyeros Municipal Assembly in Havana to demand tangible responses to their pleas presented over two months ago. These mothers and their children, who suffer from severe disabilities, are living in dire conditions and are calling for immediate attention.
Felipa Hortensia Arencibia, one of the affected mothers, told Martí Noticias, "We went to the provincial government, presented our situation, and have been waiting for a response for over two months. Now we've come to the municipal level to seek answers." Arencibia lives in a cramped apartment with her five children, the youngest of whom is seven and suffers from multiple disabilities including blindness, muteness, and motor impairments.
For over a year, these women have been peacefully organizing across various provinces to shed light on the neglect they face from the state. In early May, some approached the Ministry of Public Health and the Provincial Government of Havana, requesting food assistance, specialized medical care, and decent housing conditions. To date, they assert no real solutions have been provided.
"I want to secure a better quality of life, to get help with my child's nutrition. He is severely malnourished and weighs only 9 kilos. They promised a special diet and probiotic yogurt, but 25 days have passed and nothing. The food supply store has nothing. My son's life depends on that nutrition," Arencibia lamented, visibly distressed.
Glare Noelvis Valera Madrazo, mother to a 12-year-old with gangliosidosis, a rare genetic disorder, also participated in the protest. "He has no sphincter control, is malnourished, and hasn't attended school for years. They don't even come to the house to teach him. During his last hospital stay, there were no suitable foods for him," she explained.
Another protester, Yaquelin Valdés, cares for her 20-year-old daughter with hydrocephalus. "She is bedridden, her mind like a child's. I have no diapers, she wets and soils herself, causing sores. Her wheelchair has a flat tire, and I have no milk. This is no life for her," she said through tears.
The plight of these families starkly contrasts with the constitutional guarantees of health, social care, and housing that the Cuban system promises. The reality, these mothers claim, is characterized by institutional neglect and a lack of essential resources.
Dianelis Arozarena Piedras, who resides with her 17-year-old daughter with microcephaly and epilepsy in a place without water or a bathroom, expressed her frustration with empty promises: "I go from office to office, pleading, demanding, and all I get are words."
These demonstrations, which have also occurred in other provinces such as Pinar del Río and Guantánamo, highlight the growing desperation among caregiver women in Cuba. "We want solutions, not excuses. We are not afraid," they declared.
Key Questions on Cuba's Disability Crisis
What are the main demands of the protesting mothers in Havana?
The mothers are demanding food assistance, specialized medical care, and adequate housing conditions for their children with severe disabilities.
How long have the mothers been waiting for a response from the Cuban government?
The mothers have been waiting for over two months for a response from the government after presenting their situation to the provincial authorities.
What challenges are faced by these families in Cuba?
These families face challenges such as severe malnutrition, lack of specialized medical care, inadequate housing, and educational neglect for their children with disabilities.