Amid the backdrop of scarcity, soaring prices, and daily despair, a garage seller on the Isle of Youth has demonstrated that integrity is still alive in Cuba. She posted a message seeking to find a customer who unknowingly overpaid for a skirt and to whom she wishes to return the extra money. Leissa Rojas Gutiérrez does not know the woman's name or have any way to contact her, yet she reached out through the local buy-sell group on Facebook, Revolico Isla de la Juventud Compra/Ventas (Rich Cuban), to assure the customer that the money is safe. She invited the woman to come by her usual spot every Saturday, located between streets 37, 28, and 30.
Although the message does not specify, it's presumably an address in Nueva Gerona, the capital of the Isle of Youth. In the midst of a worsening economic crisis, acts of kindness like this are rare and highly valued. Her gesture sparked a wave of positive reactions on Facebook, with many praising her honesty, her exemplary behavior, and the rarity of such actions in times where fraud, abuse, and opportunism have become commonplace.
Acts of Integrity in a Struggling Nation
"There are few honest people left," "You are admirable," "If our leaders were like this, Cuba would be a paradise," commented moved users who not only appreciated the individual action but also contrasted it with the lack of integrity that today permeates from the highest levels of power to many areas of daily life. Leissa's honesty is not just a heartwarming story; it is an act of ethical resistance that inadvertently highlights the moral void of those who should be setting an example from above but fail to do so.
Zucel Sandy Mosqueda, a member of the Facebook group "La Gente del Salao" in Santiago de Cuba, recently expressed gratitude to the person who returned her wallet with all her documents and a significant sum of money, untouched. In June, a hotel worker in Varadero returned a bag containing $30,000 to its owner, an act highlighted by the official press.
Community Responses to Honesty
In April, two cadets from the Military Technical Institute returned a lost backpack containing a substantial amount of foreign currency, personal documents, and a mobile phone. The incident took place in the Playa municipality of Havana and was shared on Facebook by official spokesperson Frank Enrique. Moreover, in October, a mother thanked a young man on social media for returning a tablet her grandson had lost at the Colón transit stop in Pinar del Río.
At the beginning of 2024, a coachman in Cárdenas, Matanzas province, was acknowledged on social media for returning a wallet left behind by a passenger in his horse-drawn carriage. These stories of honesty stand out starkly against the backdrop of Cuba's economic turmoil, revealing the stark contrast between individual acts of integrity and the pervasive corruption that mars the nation's leadership.
Insights into Acts of Honesty in Cuba
Why is Leissa Rojas Gutiérrez's act of honesty significant?
Leissa Rojas Gutiérrez's act is significant because it demonstrates integrity in a time of economic hardship in Cuba, where such acts are rare and highly appreciated.
How did the public react to Leissa's gesture?
The public responded positively, praising her honesty and contrasting her actions with the lack of integrity often seen in the country's leadership.
What other acts of honesty have been highlighted in Cuba?
Other acts include returning lost wallets, significant sums of money, and personal items, often shared on social media as examples of integrity amidst economic decline.