"So, what are you there for?" This bold question was posed by Elizabeth González Aznar, a Cuban resident, to the deputies of the National Assembly of People's Power. In an open letter addressed to its president, Juan Esteban Lazo Hernández, she criticized the assembly's silence in the face of hunger, unaffordable prices, and the lack of basic services that afflict millions of citizens.
González Aznar, who resides in La Lisa, Havana, took to Facebook to urge legislators to fulfill their duty of representing the people by demanding solutions from the Cuban government regarding the worsening living conditions.
Known for her public criticisms of the authorities, she described the situation as both appalling and inhumane, highlighting the skyrocketing prices of food and the struggles to obtain essentials like water, electricity, gas, and medicines.
"Eating and having water are not luxuries; they are basic necessities that are barely within reach for Cubans today," she wrote, questioning the partial dollarization of the economy, a policy she attributed to the government with the assembly's approval.
González pointed out how the rising dollar continually inflates the prices of essential goods, making it difficult for salaries and pensions to keep up.
She emphasized that securing food has become one of the biggest challenges for Cuban families. "As the USD rises, so does the hunger and misery of the working people, and even worse for retirees," she stated.
Moreover, she remarked that a person needs at least 15,000 pesos monthly just to eat, using this estimate to highlight the impact of staples like rice, oil, eggs, chicken, beans, and sugar on family budgets.
González also criticized local markets, which she had hoped would offer more affordable prices but instead seem to mirror the high costs set by private sellers.
In her letter, González directly addressed the role of the deputies, reminding them that according to Article 102 of the Cuban Constitution, the National Assembly is the supreme body of state power and represents all the people. She questioned their lack of public response to the everyday difficulties faced by the population.
"You remain completely silent," she reproached the legislators. In her view, the representatives should assess the citizens' living conditions, hold the authorities accountable, and demand concrete actions to address the rising cost of food and the deteriorating services.
She expressed doubt about the real impact of parliamentary representation if deputies remain detached from the people's problems, reminding them that their own families, neighbors, and friends are enduring the same hardships.
González described situations where people go more than ten days without water, endure prolonged power outages, and are forced to cook with charcoal due to gas shortages, while essential goods become increasingly unaffordable.
She also rejected the authorities' frequent use of the U.S. embargo as an excuse for all economic difficulties. "Don't come to me with the blockade," she remarked, pointing out the stark differences between the living conditions of certain sectors and the hardships faced by the majority.
González believes the deputies have a duty to demand explanations from the government and to push for changes that ensure the population's basic needs are met.
Her message concluded with a plea for the representatives to act and stop ignoring the people's suffering.
In recent years, González has frequently used social media to publicly question the Cuban authorities. For instance, in August, she penned an open letter to Miguel Díaz-Canel, criticizing his statements to foreign media and demanding answers about the food crisis, power outages, and rising prices.
She challenged the president for his failure to acknowledge responsibility for the deteriorating living conditions of the population.
A month later, she reported the waste of potable water in San Agustín, La Lisa, claiming leaks had gone unrepaired for over two years, while many neighbors went days without service in their homes.
More recently, she highlighted the poor nutritional conditions of Cuban retirees, using her father, Raúl González Hernández, an 81-year-old scientist and the creator of the anti-anemic drug Trofin, as an example. He receives meals through the Family Care System (SAF) in San Agustín.
Key Issues Facing Cuban Citizens
What basic necessities are becoming difficult to obtain in Cuba?
Cubans are finding it increasingly challenging to access essentials like food, water, electricity, gas, and medicines.
Why does Elizabeth González Aznar criticize the National Assembly?
She criticizes the assembly for its silence and inaction in the face of the country's worsening living conditions, failing to hold the government accountable.
How does the rising US dollar affect Cuban families?
The increasing value of the US dollar drives up the prices of essential goods, making it harder for salaries and pensions to keep up, thus worsening hunger and poverty.