Cuba's Elderly Care Facilities and Power Outages Highlight Deepening Humanitarian Crisis

Independent journalists have documented severe neglect in Cuba's long‑term care system. A video from Camagüey shows a nursing home with crumbling wooden floors, ruined walls and filthy, uncleaned beds, exposing residents to infection risks. The reporter described the scene as "depressing" and noted that despite regulations calling for repairs, no effective government action has been taken, reflecting a broader collapse of elderly care amid widespread poverty.

In Holguín, a father pleading for help on Facebook described a 45‑hour power blackout that left his autistic 11‑year‑old son unable to use a fan essential for sleep and to prepare his needed guava smoothies. He begged, "Please, for the love of God, someone help me. I can't take it anymore." The province receives only three hours of electricity daily, with power prioritized for tourism, forcing families to rely on community donations for portable power stations. Both stories illustrate the worsening health and energy crises confronting ordinary Cubans.