Amid a disturbing rise in begging on the island, a Cuban mother and her son provided lunch to an elderly man living on the streets. The woman, identified on Facebook as Mayrelis Ramos Rivero, shared that she had left her home to buy an avocado and some plantains for lunch. On her way back, she encountered the elderly man eating scraps from a garbage bin.
"I continued home, finished preparing lunch, and couldn't resist bringing him a bottle of water and a plate of food. I don't have much, but he is a human being, and my eldest son and I felt relieved," she said. However, she expressed a deep sadness over the growing number of similar cases on the streets.
In the midst of the crisis gripping the country, more and more elderly and other vulnerable individuals are surviving by scavenging through garbage. The elderly are among the most affected demographic groups by the widespread crisis on the island, according to studies by independent organizations.
Cuba is currently the poorest country in Latin America, according to DatoWorld, a well-known international electoral observatory that evaluates parameters such as per capita income, access to healthcare services, social security, food, and housing conditions.
The Rising Crisis of Homelessness and Poverty in Cuba
The alarming increase in homelessness and poverty in Cuba has led to growing concerns. Below are some frequently asked questions to provide more insight into the situation.
What are the primary causes of the rise in homelessness in Cuba?
The primary causes include economic instability, lack of access to adequate healthcare and social security, and the overall impoverishment of the country.
How is the Cuban government addressing the issue of elderly poverty?
There is a lack of effective measures from the Cuban government to address elderly poverty, leaving many to rely on the goodwill of others or resort to scavenging for survival.
What organizations are helping to alleviate the situation?
Several independent organizations conduct studies and provide aid, but their efforts are often limited by the broader economic and political context in Cuba.