The cumbersome Cuban bureaucracy has once again dashed hopes for a better future. Christopher Olivera Santos, a young orphan from Bayamo, has lost his humanitarian visa due to the Cuban regime's sluggish processing of legal custody for his grandmother, causing the visa to expire. This five-year-old has been anxiously awaiting surgery to repair internal injuries sustained from swallowing acid, an incident that has left him reliant on a feeding tube.
On Wednesday, Christopher experienced a setback; he was dehydrated and rushed to the hospital. However, the essential tube size 22 he requires was unavailable. In response, Cuban activist Diasniurka Salcedo urgently sought assistance through social media. Remarkably, within just five hours, an anonymous donor provided the necessary tube.
"Thank you all, truly. I won't name names. It was everyone. Thank you for sharing. Christopher now has the tubes. He's on cefazolin, a strong antibiotic. He'll be okay, thank you," Salcedo expressed in her social media posts.
Those close to Christopher emphasize the need for ongoing donations of tubes, as they must be replaced every fifteen days until his surgery, which could be scheduled in three to six months.
The Legal Hurdles and Delays
From the outset, it was clear that the legal process to secure travel permissions for Christopher and his grandmother for a critical surgery abroad would be an arduous journey. Salcedo collaborated directly with the attorney handling the case to secure the numerous documents required for this highly sensitive situation involving an orphaned, sick child, abandoned by his mother and cared for by his elderly grandmother.
To obtain legal custody for the grandmother, they needed to submit birth certificates for the child and his mother, the father's death certificate (as he committed suicide), witness statements, documentary evidence, and medical summaries, among other paperwork.
By October 31st, the only remaining step was for the Provincial Court to hold a hearing and rule in favor of the grandmother. Unfortunately, the legal custody decision was not made in time, leading to the expiration of Christopher's visa.
Community Support in Times of Need
In September, thanks to the generosity of fellow Cubans, Christopher and his grandmother moved into a new home purchased with donations. Prior to this, they lived in appalling conditions until Cuban activists Michaela Díaz and Diasniurka Salcedo initiated social media campaigns to support them.