A 61-year-old Cuban man who had been missing since Sunday morning has been located safe, though somewhat disoriented. His son, who had issued an alert for his father, shared the good news on his Facebook page.
"We have found my dad! Thank God he is okay, although he was disoriented and had been lost for these days. He is fine now and was found trying to enter his workplace," explained Pedro Luis Echevarría Torres, who thanked everyone who helped in the search.
The man, named Pedro Luis Echevarría Sánchez, suffers from diabetes and hypertension. His son had expressed concern that he might be disoriented "as an insulin-dependent patient who hadn't been medicating."
Echevarría Sánchez had last been seen when he allegedly traveled from San Cristóbal to Mariel in Artemisa. On Sunday, around 9:00 am, he reportedly left Santa Cruz in the municipality of San Cristóbal to head towards Mariel, traveling in a car bound for Havana.
Disappearances of individuals with mental or chronic illnesses have increased in Cuba recently, as the lack of medications destabilizes these patients and affects their normal behavior.
Families turn to social media to bring visibility to these cases and seek help in finding their loved ones, due to the inefficiency of the authorities and the lack of an official channel to assist in the search.
Understanding the Crisis of Missing Persons in Cuba
The following questions and answers provide insight into the growing issue of missing persons in Cuba, particularly those with chronic illnesses.
Why are disappearances of mentally or chronically ill individuals increasing in Cuba?
The rise in disappearances is largely due to the lack of medications, which destabilizes patients and disrupts their normal behavior.
How are families dealing with the inefficiency of authorities in finding missing persons?
Families are increasingly using social media to bring visibility to their cases and seek help from the public in finding their loved ones.
What actions did Pedro Luis Echevarría Torres take to find his father?
Pedro Luis Echevarría Torres issued an alert on social media, expressing his concerns and mobilizing public support to locate his father.