Social Promises Without Funding: The Stark Reality for Impoverished Populations in Las Tunas

Despite the official rhetoric of commitment and social compassion, the situation in the province of Las Tunas paints a starkly different picture. The policies aimed at aiding impoverished communities function on shoestring budgets, limited implementation, and significant regional inequalities, leaving thousands in an endless wait for solutions. Data from the first half of the year indicate that only about a third of the resources allocated to social programs have been utilized.

"This impacts the support provided to vulnerable communities and leaves the social infrastructure rated as 'insufficient'," admitted the provincial newspaper 26. Government measures intended to assist mothers with three or more children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly are operating "with resources stretched to the limit." Social infrastructure continues to be deemed "inadequate," with no real improvements in the quality of life for the most vulnerable sectors.

In the hardest-hit municipalities, such as Jobabo, Amancio, and Majibacoa, the lack of resources is a critical issue. Although there are isolated efforts, like setting up childcare facilities or community prevention groups, progress is minimal against a backdrop of neglect. In Jobabo, for example, 40% of the community's issues remain unresolved, while in Amancio, social budget execution lags behind other areas.

Fiscal figures often mask an imbalanced economy. Although Las Tunas boasts high revenue collection and a reduced provincial deficit, the so-called "bifurcated economy"—where the financial and fiscal sectors improve but material production does not—shows that these advances fail to translate into real benefits for the population. Revenue from fines and strict controls sustain the income, yet resources are not directed to where they are most needed.

The supposed "improvement" in job placement for the unemployed is also questionable, as most new jobs are informal, lacking real guarantees. The source notes a "high resistance to formal employment," reflecting an unattractive labor market with poor conditions.

Disparities between municipalities reinforce the perception of institutional neglect. While the provincial capital has more childcare centers, it still faces housing shortages, and dairy production continues to fall short. Puerto Padre is noted for its attention to the elderly, "but too many rural communities remain neglected." In Majibacoa, low productivity is compounded by an ineffective fiscal collection system.

Governor Yelenis Tornet claims that Las Tunas will prioritize investment in agriculture and livestock to ensure food supplies and aims to "accelerate social infrastructure projects, housing, and targeted services, particularly in less affluent communities." However, these statements, repeated yearly, no longer reassure the public. The discourse on sensitivity, creativity, and dedication cannot replace the absence of real funding and the inability to translate programs into concrete actions.

In a province burdened by migration, aging populations, and poverty, unfunded social promises are simply not enough. The discrepancy between fiscal statistics and the harshness of daily life exposes a model that continues to fail where it matters most: improving the well-being of its citizens.

The government itself acknowledged on July 16 that over 310,000 residents of the island currently live in poverty or social vulnerability amid a severe economic crisis and a heated public debate following official statements denying the existence of homelessness on the island.

The Cuban regime attributes the increase in homelessness to family neglect and the tightening of the U.S. embargo. Avoiding any self-criticism, the state fails to recognize its responsibility in this crisis, opting instead for reactive measures to cover up its symptoms. It also does not address the structural causes of the issue, which include the collapse of the economic model, family disintegration, demographic aging, and mass emigration.

While authorities gloss over homelessness with euphemisms and unrealistic figures, a growing population of elderly, ill, and marginalized individuals struggle to survive outdoors in the province of Matanzas, without effective policies or a genuine willingness to confront what the country tries to sweep under the rug.

In late April, an article from the official newspaper Girón exposed one of the most distressing realities of contemporary Cuba: the extreme poverty in which thousands of retirees, after decades of work, find themselves forced to subsist on the streets.