Cuban State Media Defends President’s response to Hurricane Victim
Following โคthe widespreadโค circulation of a video appearing to show Presidentโ Miguel Dรญaz-Canel responding dismissively to a resident of El Cobre,Santiagoโ de Cuba,state-run media programโฃ Chapping Shortly has defendedโฃ theโ President and accused social โฃmedia of manipulating the context of the exchange.
The video, shared widely on digital platforms includingโฃ the program of influencer Alex โOtaola, โคdepicts โa tense conversation between โฃDรญaz-Canel and a womanโข who reported losing her bedโ during Hurricane Melissa. The woman stated,”We don’t have a bed,” to which theโค President reportedly responded,”And I don’t โฃhave anything to give it toโข youโ now either,” appearing visiblyโข frustrated.
The exchange sparked significant criticism bothโ within and โoutside of Cuba, with many interpreting the response as lacking empathy towardsโ those affected by the hurricane.
Chappingโ Shortly, hostedโ by journalist Arleen Rodrรญguezโ Derivet andโฃ broadcast on Facebook and Cubadebate, released a statement โclaiming theโค video was โฃ”conveniently edited” asโฃ part of an “anti-Cuban propaganda” campaign aimed at damaging the โPresident’s reputation. The program โฃasserted that the circulated fragment omitted crucial parts of the conversation, where Dรญaz-canelโค allegedly explained recovery efforts โขand the anticipated arrival of aid.
Chapping Shortly โขpublished a โคtranscript of โthe full exchange, claiming it demonstrates the President clarifying he did notโ have a โคbed immediately available,โข but promising future assistance โthru state resources and recoveryโ brigades. โขThe program also characterized the controversy as a purposeful “media โคoperation” intended to โundermine the government’s efforts โto demonstrate effective disaster management โfollowing Hurricane Melissa,โค which,โ accordingโ toโฃ the program, resultedโ inโค no fatalities.
Despite โthe โofficialโข defence, theโค video continues to circulate on social โขmedia alongside reports from residents of El Cobre detailing a lackโฃ of assistance and worsening conditions. El Cobre, โa town withโข historical significanceโข as a symbol of faith and โขresistance, is among the areas hardest hit by the โขstorm.
This response from state media underscores a pattern of โคtheโ Cuban government focusing on challenging the source of criticism rather than addressing concerns about the perceived insensitivity of its responsesโ to the devastationโค experienced by familiesโฃ inโค eastern Cuba.