Aidelis Arencibia, a Cuban mother of three autistic children who also suffers from heart disease, shared a harrowing experience on Facebook this Saturday. She narrowly escaped an attempted robbery while searching for Carvedilol, a medication prescribed by her cardiologist that is unavailable in any state-run pharmacy.
Arencibia set off on a tricycle to a remote area where a private seller was offering the medication. As the driver stepped away to confirm the address, a man suddenly appeared from the bushes. "A man emerged with a probing gaze, asking nonsensical questions about inmates, sales, and offers. I saw robbery in his eyes," she recounted.
Before the situation could escalate, Arencibia cleverly resorted to a fabricated story: "I became a character, as I do when writing, and lied with borrowed calm: 'I'm here with my brother-in-law and two more young men.'" At that moment, the driver returned, sensed the danger without a word, and quickly drove away.
As they sped off, Arencibia glimpsed the man with his accomplices: "We saw them as we fled: him and two almost childlike young men. They couldn't have been older than twenty; one seemed just fifteen."
The Emotional Toll and the Reality of Scarcity
On the way back, shaken to her core, her thoughts were with her children. "I imagined their orphaned eyes, their cries missing the only voice that can soothe them with song. Only I know how to mend the broken doll, fix the toy car's wheel, stand in those endless lines for a treat to bring them a moment of peace," she wrote.
Although she returned home without the medication, Arencibia was unharmed. "Today, I feel as if I was born again. I write this while watching them sleep beside me, thanking God with every fiber," she concluded.
The Dual Crisis in Cuba
This incident highlights the dual crisis faced by countless Cuban families in 2026: severe medication shortages and rising crime rates. As of April, only 190 out of 651 essential drugs were accessible nationwide, according to reported data. A survey conducted between February and March involving 1,788 Cubans found that a mere 4.8% obtained medications without difficulty, while a staggering 95.6% encountered significant challenges.
The scarcity forces chronic patients like Arencibia—who manages her heart condition while caring for three children on the autism spectrum—to venture into unknown territories, exposing themselves to dangers ignored by the state. "It's pointless to even talk about pharmacies: they simply don't exist," she summarized in her post.
Rising Crime Intensifies the Struggle
The increasing crime in Cuba exacerbates this dire landscape. The Cuban Citizen Audit Observatory documented 2,833 verified crimes in 2025, a 115% rise from 2024, with thefts being the most common offense and 99 assaults and aggressions reported in the first half of the year. Elderly individuals and those traveling alone are among the most vulnerable.
On the same Saturday, another Cuban mother in Ciego de Ávila sought assistance for her two severely ill children, one with severe autism, cerebral palsy, and hydrocephalus, conditions worsened by power outages exceeding 22 hours daily—a scenario mirrored across the island.
Arencibia ended her account with words that capture both relief and resolve: "Even though we returned without the medicine... Today, more than ever, I choose to endure."
FAQs on Cuba's Medication Crisis and Safety Concerns
Why is there a scarcity of medications in Cuba?
The scarcity is primarily due to economic challenges and inefficiencies in the distribution systems, exacerbated by the socialist communist regime's policies that fail to address these critical shortages adequately.
How are Cuban families coping with medication shortages?
Many families resort to the informal market for medications and often travel to remote areas, risking their safety in the process.
What measures are being taken to address rising crime in Cuba?
Despite the alarming increase in crime, there are limited effective measures being implemented by the government to curb the trend, leaving many citizens vulnerable.