Comedian Ulises Toirac has expressed his heartfelt support for the families of the young people who vanished following a fire on Tuesday at an ammunition and weapons warehouse in Melones, Holguín. In a Facebook post, Toirac conveyed his profound sorrow over the incident and extended his deepest solidarity to the affected families.
"I don't want to jump to conclusions because my hope is that they are found alive beneath the rubble or wherever they may be," he emphasized. The families of the missing individuals are voicing their frustration over what they perceive as inaction by authorities to rescue their loved ones.
"There has been no search at any point. The families were told they couldn’t proceed because of the risk of additional explosions, and they had to wait 72 hours," lamented Jesús Antonio, uncle of 19-year-old recruit Liander José García Oliva, to the independent news outlet CubaNet.
"Yesterday [Wednesday], officials visited the parents and informed them that there was no chance of survival, saying that if anyone were alive, they would have tried to escape by now. It pains me because they declared them dead without even searching," he added.
State media reporter Lisandra Martín reported that at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, families were officially informed that the likelihood of survival was almost zero. She claimed that the process was carried out "with great respect, adhering to regulations and with all the sensitivity required by the situation."
Jesús Antonio took to social media to express his discontent, criticizing the government for endangering young recruits with duties beyond their scope, and now failing to risk anything for "those kids forced to do the dirty work."
"All parents, close and distant relatives should unite to demand truth and action, ensuring they do what they must, which is risking their lives to save those unfortunate souls compelled to be there. I am 100% committed and would sacrifice my life for my nephew and all those involved," he affirmed.
Key Questions Surrounding the Holguín Incident
What caused the fire at the warehouse in Holguín?
The fire occurred at an ammunition and weapons warehouse, but the exact cause of the blaze has not been detailed in public reports.
How are the families of the missing individuals responding?
Families of the missing are expressing frustration and anger over the perceived lack of action and urgency from authorities in the search efforts.
What has been the government's response to the incident?
Authorities have communicated that the likelihood of survival is minimal and have cited safety concerns as reasons for delaying rescue efforts.