New Jersey Resident Recounts 'Catastrophic' Trip to Cuba

A Cuban woman residing in New Jersey returned from a visit to her family in Ranchuelo, Villa Clara, only to find herself battling diarrhea, the flu, skin infections, and losing five pounds. She described this trip as the worst of the three she has taken to Cuba since she emigrated.

“This trip was a catastrophe for me,” summarized Yodlena Falcón, who has been living in the United States for five years. She shared her experience in a Facebook video.

Upon returning, she had to take antibiotics due to a staph infection. “I came back to this country with the flu, a staph infection, and diarrhea. I lost five pounds,” she stated.

Challenges Faced During the Visit

Falcón attributed many of her troubles to the unsanitary conditions she encountered in Ranchuelo. “Flies are everywhere, there’s trash all over; it’s a disaster,” she lamented.

Her arrival was also fraught with issues. After a plane malfunction in Miami necessitated a change of aircraft, she landed in Santa Clara and waited about an hour for her luggage amid heat and inadequate ventilation.

Enduring Power Outages

Once in Ranchuelo, she faced another pervasive issue: frequent power outages. Falcón mentioned that at times they had electricity for only about three hours a day. When power returned, even if it was in the middle of the night, she would hurry to make the most of it.

She would wake up around five in the morning to run the washing machine and charge phones, lamps, and rechargeable fans before the next blackout.

High Costs and Scarcity

Adding to her challenges were the high prices. She recalled finding sodas priced between 1,200 and 1,300 Cuban pesos, juices for about 500, and costly food items that were often not in good condition.

“They say, ‘Everything is available.’ It’s a lie that everything is available. There are some things, but not everything,” she stated.

Emotional Impact and Reflection

One of the most impactful moments occurred when she accompanied her mother to the cardiac center in Santa Clara. Falcón noted that the facility was clean and the medical care was good, but after leaving at around 11 a.m., they struggled to find a place to eat as many businesses were affected by power outages.

What struck her more than material shortages was the appearance of the people she encountered. “You could see the sadness, the hunger on their faces, and I understood they must be going hungry,” she recounted, reflecting on her observations during the trip.

By the fourth day, the emotional toll had caught up with her. “I got depressed in Cuba. This trip was a catastrophe for me. I’ve been there three times, all of them bad, but this was the worst,” she affirmed.

Continuing the Journey

Her story comes from a municipality grappling with health issues. In July, health authorities confirmed the circulation of dengue serotypes II and IV in Ranchuelo, with 12 hospitalized patients and over 10,300 screenings conducted.

Following the attention her first video received, Falcón released another video addressing those who thought she was exaggerating. She explained that she works nearly every day in the United States and announced plans to use the money from the video’s monetization to buy a fan and a rechargeable lamp to send to someone in need in Cuba.

Her post also sparked numerous testimonials from other emigrants who claimed to have experienced similar situations during recent visits to the island. One woman shared that she returned with severe diarrhea and ended up in the emergency room.

Another comment highlighted the plight of those who cannot leave: “It’s terrible what people in Cuba are going through; at least you can say, ‘Well, in a few days I’m leaving this hell,’ but imagine those who can’t leave.”

Despite the hardships she faced, Falcón insisted that she would continue to travel to Cuba for the sake of her mother. “As long as she’s alive and breathing, I’ll be there,” she concluded.