Cuban Government Under Fire for Failing Homeless Children Sleeping in Hotel Garden in Havana

In a recent development that has sparked outrage, the Cuban government stepped in to remove a group of children who had been sleeping in the garden of a hotel in Havana. This action followed the circulation of a viral image on social media that highlighted the plight of homeless children, putting the government under intense scrutiny for its consistent failure to care for vulnerable minors.

Official spokesperson Pedro Jorge Velázquez confirmed the authenticity of the photograph on Facebook, noting that these children have been "lingering around" the vicinity of the Muthu Hotel for some time. This revelation raises significant questions about the regime's self-proclaimed status as a "humanitarian" state and its supposed commitment to child welfare. How could such a government allow children to sleep outdoors for weeks without intervention or support?

According to Velázquez's investigation, which included accounts from workers, gardeners, security personnel, and vendors in the area, the children have been frequenting the location for over a month. He noted that the children do not belong to the municipality of Playa, where the hotel is located, but come from other parts of the capital, staying for days because they cannot return home.

Disturbingly, it has been reported that some children are sent by their parents to beg for money or food, and there have been instances where minors arrive in school uniform and hang clothes to dry on the complex's stairs. This scenario unfolded under the noses of government and Party officials, who seemingly remained oblivious to the situation.

The post acknowledges that despite multiple alerts from local workers, no action was taken until the image gained widespread attention. "Now that the photo has gone viral, a 'removal operation' was conducted to return them to their areas," Velázquez wrote.

Regime deputy for the Playa municipality, Carlos Miguel Pérez Reyes, admitted that the state's response fails to address the underlying issue. "Reporting and 'removing' the children does not solve the root of the problem; it's essential to evaluate if the child welfare services have the necessary resources and how they coordinate with Work, Public Health, and local governments," he stated on social media.

However, the operation has sparked additional criticism within the community. The manager of a nearby bar expressed concerns, saying that helping the children with food or money now poses a problem, as it encourages them to stay in the area. Security personnel and private business operators have been reprimanded for offering support, which has led to increased exclusion and mistreatment.

Staff at the hotel confirmed that the children's presence was known to authorities for several weeks. Some recounted instances of children sleeping in hallways, behind bus stops, or in front of a new bank, with one child even fainting from hunger and being helped in a worker's cafeteria before the police intervened.

Velázquez acknowledged that this phenomenon is not an isolated case, a surprising admission from an official spokesperson. Deputy Pérez also noted that children have been seen begging at various locations in Havana, "late into the night, with no apparent repercussions for responsible adults."

Vice Prime Minister Inés María Chapman claimed that "solutions have been implemented and the relevant organizations are working on it," though she did not provide details on the measures taken. As the regime grapples with the fallout from the viral image, the stark reality of children sleeping near currency markets and hotels underscores the severe social decay in Cuba and the lack of an effective system to protect street children.