Amid the ongoing collapse of Cuba's electrical system, a young Cuban has gained recognition on social media for his heartwarming gesture of cooking and distributing free soup to the residents of Caibarién. Mariam Sardiñas shared this act of kindness on the Facebook group "Revolico Caibarién 'Los Playeros'", encouraging locals to visit the young man's stand and enjoy the comforting Cuban dish, especially appreciated during the current energy crisis.
"At Van Troi 2, right on the same block as the market, at Carlos Rubio's kiosk, humanity continues to shine. For anyone in need, ajiaco is being offered completely free. Let's continue to show solidarity with vulnerable individuals. Please share this so it reaches all who need it," wrote Sardiñas in her post.
The post has generated nearly 500 comments, praising the young man's altruism. Comments such as "My greetings and respect to you, my friend, simply a wonderful gesture of kindness and humanity," "It's refreshing to see such posts about good deeds, far from those that pollute social media and offer no lessons. Blessings to this young man, such a great gesture and a big heart," and "I'm sure many families are thankful for this generous act, greetings and blessings," capture the sentiment of gratitude and admiration from the community. "Only Cubans understand this. What a gesture of humanity!" another comment reads.
Contrasting Reactions Amid Crisis
This young man's actions stand in stark contrast to others who have exploited the crisis for profit, such as some individuals in Havana who are charging up to 200 Cuban pesos to charge a cellphone. Similarly, in Santiago, another person demands the same fee for this service. This practice has been widely criticized by residents, who have been enduring island-wide power outages since last Friday, with no immediate solution in sight.