The bodies of Thay Brindis and Eliany Gómez, two Cuban women who died last March in Las Vegas, arrived in Havana on Saturday. As of Tuesday morning, their remains had yet to be delivered to their families in Santiago de Cuba for a final farewell.
Madelayne López Isaac, Thay's mother, has accused the Cuban government and its officials of inefficiency, corruption, and a lack of empathy, sensitivity, and ethics. "The provincial director of funeral services in Havana, a man named Mujica from the Calzada y K funeral home, promised us last Saturday that the bodies would be transported at 5:00 AM local time on Monday, March 27. Then, they said 5:00 PM, and later 5:00 AM on Tuesday, March 28. Yet, they are still in Havana," she lamented on Facebook.
According to Madelayne, her sister called the funeral home at 7:00 AM, but the vehicles had not yet departed. She was informed that the bodies were in the hearses, but the cars were still being prepared. "A service paid for in foreign currency was charged again in national currency, and they still haven't delivered my child's body," she protested.
"To save fuel, they put another body in each hearse with our girls. One body is headed to Media Luna and another to Bayamo," she added. Madelayne emphasized that her daughter and Eliany had been well-preserved in the United States for over two months. Her concern is that Cuba lacks the same conditions, with non-air-conditioned hearses, high temperatures, and frequent power outages.
"These scoundrels wanted to change the coffins because they claimed the girls' coffins from abroad wouldn't fit. We had been warned that they would ask for a change to expedite the transfer. Since we didn't agree, they left my daughter there," she denounced.
"My Cuban brothers and sisters, take to the streets; this country can't take it anymore," she concluded.
Thay Brindis, 29, passed away on March 24 in Las Vegas. She was from the Sueño neighborhood in Santiago de Cuba and had a young daughter still on the island. She died alongside her friend Eliany Gómez. According to accounts shared on social media by close associates, the young women presumably suffered a fatal drug overdose after someone spiked their drinks at a bar.
Family and friends sought help to repatriate their bodies and bury them in their hometown of Santiago de Cuba. GoFundMe accounts were created to raise funds for funeral expenses and the transportation of their bodies to Cuba, allowing their families to bid them a final farewell.
Challenges in Repatriating Bodies to Cuba
In light of the difficulties faced by the families in repatriating the bodies of Thay Brindis and Eliany Gómez, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
What caused the delay in transporting the bodies to Santiago de Cuba?
The delay was caused by inefficiency and corruption within the Cuban government's funeral services. Despite multiple promises, the bodies were not transported as scheduled.
How were the transportation costs for the bodies covered?
The transportation costs were covered through funds raised on GoFundMe. However, the families claimed they were charged again in national currency by Cuban authorities.
What were the preservation conditions for the bodies in the United States compared to Cuba?
In the United States, the bodies were well-preserved. In contrast, Cuban conditions were inadequate, with non-air-conditioned hearses, high temperatures, and frequent power outages posing significant challenges.