Cuban Government Threatens Critics Amid Health System Crisis Allegations

The Cuban government has responded with legal threats to escalating accusations about the severe crisis facing the island's public health system. During a segment on Cuban Television News, government spokesperson Humberto López led a piece titled "Cuba Rejects Defamation Campaign Against Cuban Medicine," where he issued a stark warning to those reporting irregularities in the country's medical care. López referenced a statement from the Board of Governors of the Cuban Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, which dismissed criticisms made by Cuban doctor Miguel Ángel Ruano Sánchez, currently residing in Colombia.

Without mentioning Ruano by name, López threatened the doctor, suggesting that the Cuban government possesses supposed evidence demonstrating his lack of ethics, evidence that "could be used to warn Colombians."

Legal Threats Backed by the Constitution

Acting as the regime's mouthpiece, López argued that the Cuban Constitution safeguards individuals and institutions against challenges on social media, specifically citing Articles 45 and 48. He highlighted that those who publicly report medical irregularities or errors might face legal repercussions. "Anyone who plays with something as sacred as health should face the consequences," López declared.

He cautioned that the Cuban government might enforce the law against those it believes are exposing medical institutions or professionals on social media or other outlets. Although he spoke with a confrontational tone, he did not provide details about the legal framework that would permit such retaliation.

These pronouncements by López come at a time of heightened social sensitivity, following the viral case of young Damir Ortiz, who was transported in critical condition from Havana to a hospital in Miami, where he is now receiving cancer treatment.

Admitting Shortcomings While Deflecting Criticism

During the news segment, López acknowledged the shortcomings in Cuba's public health system but attempted to humanize his stance on social media with a message laden with silences and ambiguities. "Lacking all that we lack and having too much of what we have too much," he stated.

He further added that if a child, even rejected by the U.S. system, arrived in Cuba needing medical attention, "Cuban doctors would welcome them with open arms." Many interpreted this comment as an attempt to divert attention from the real scandal, which is the allegations of neglect, medical negligence, and manipulation in Damir Ortiz's case.

Dr. Ruano's Defiant Response

From Colombia, Dr. Miguel Ángel Ruano firmly responded to his mention on national television. "I am the 'practicing' doctor, and I have a name. I am Dr. Ruano. And where are the proofs of my alleged crimes?" he wrote on social media, adding, "A lot of talk and no evidence! We continue the fight. Down with the dictatorship!"

Ruano, along with other professionals and activists, has been vocal about the shortage of medicines, misdiagnoses, and structural deficiencies in Cuban hospitals, often backed by patient testimonies.

The Damir Ortiz Case: A Turning Point

The catalyst for this campaign was the case of Damir Ortiz, a boy who was ill for years in Cuba without receiving an accurate diagnosis. His mother claims that the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) violated their privacy by discussing their situation on television without consent.

"They were letting him die," asserted Eliannis Ramírez, who explained that once in the United States, Damir began improving thanks to appropriate treatment. During a press conference on Monday in Miami, she detailed the medical negligence endured in Cuba, such as poorly performed biopsies, incorrect diagnoses, and a lack of medications she had to procure herself.

Additionally, she reported that since raising her voice on social media, the regime has neglected her and launched a campaign to discredit her.

Civil Society Support

Activists like Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia stood with Ramírez at the conference, recalling that two million pesos were raised in Cuba to help the boy, demonstrating the power of social media and popular solidarity. "This is what the regime fears, which is why it now issues threats disguised as legality," Salcedo stated, also denouncing that the doctors who appeared on television to attack the mother are listed as oppressors for collaborating in the government's media campaigns.

Official Manipulation and Concealment

MINSAP insisted that medical decisions regarding Damir were made by consensus and blamed the mother for not authorizing certain procedures. However, Ramírez maintains that the system failed on all levels and that her son survives thanks to his departure from the country.

The mother also emphasized that the doctors shown on television never personally attended to Damir and that the biopsy was eventually performed at the Institute of Neurology, where he also received a false leukemia diagnosis.

In a final appeal, the Cuban mother urged other families to speak out publicly and to not blindly trust what state system doctors tell them. "A mother has the obligation to defend her child with the truth, no matter the cost."