Cuban Elder in Holguín Stands by Her Revolution Despite Receiving Aid from Cuban in the U.S.

A video of an elderly woman from Velasco, a town in Holguín province, has gone viral after she passionately defended the Cuban "revolution" while accepting humanitarian aid sent by a Cuban residing in the United States.

The footage, initially recorded and shared by Adonis David Martínez—a Cuban living abroad who organized a relief effort for those affected by Hurricane Melissa in his hometown—captures the woman's unwavering loyalty to the Cuban regime. She declares, "From the FAR, the MININT, and my revolution, no one takes it away from me, not even on my knees... I have ten children, and their blood is fidelista, they're not opponents or street vendors or resellers."

She further states, "I don't kill anyone because they say Jehovah doesn't want the dead, and Fidel didn't want the dead either, but if there's war here now, I want a gun so that no one calls Fidel a bastard. No. Fidel must be loved."

Shared by CiberCuba Noticias on Facebook, the video garnered over seven thousand reactions and thousands of comments in just a few hours. While some users were shocked or indignant at what they saw as a contradiction between her words and the source of the aid, others urged respect for her age and beliefs.

Comments ranged from, "I find no humor in this, just sadness; she belongs to another generation whose mind is stuck in the past," to, "I wouldn't give her anything and see if the revolution gives her something." Some users humorously suggested, "I'd take back the oil bottle right there and tell her to wait for hers from the store." Meanwhile, more conciliatory voices defended the donor's intentions: "He gives it out of humanity, not caring about what she says; this is a time for solidarity, not politics."

Humanitarian Efforts in Holguín

In a previous video, Adonis David Martínez explained that his goal was to assist families severely impacted by the cyclone. "Deliveries will be made this afternoon, thanks to everyone for their donations, both here and in Cuba, and to those who contributed, including people from small businesses," he stated.

Martínez detailed that the initiative involved distributing 250 packages containing rice, oil, mortadella, sugar, salt, and ground meat across various areas of the town, including Corea, Reparto Varona, Calle 20, Las Aguadas, and Cuchita. He expressed gratitude toward local residents for their cooperation and asked to be informed of critical cases to ensure aid reached those in need. His charitable efforts have been praised by many Cubans, both on and off the island, for bringing hope to a community devastated by the hurricane.

The original video featuring the elderly woman is no longer publicly available on its creator's profile but continues to circulate on social media, sparking an extensive discussion about the impact of political indoctrination and the social reality facing Cuba's elderly population.

The aid comes at a critical juncture following Hurricane Melissa, which caused severe flooding and damage in the area. Velasco residents, amidst tears, tried to salvage their belongings while criticizing the lack of alerts and state support during one of the worst storms to hit eastern Cuba this year.