Cuban State Media Defends President’s response to Hurricane Victim
Following the widespread circulation of a video appearing to show President Miguel Díaz-Canel responding dismissively to a resident of El Cobre,Santiago de Cuba,state-run media program Chapping Shortly has defended the President and accused social media of manipulating the context of the exchange.
The video, shared widely on digital platforms including the program of influencer Alex Otaola, depicts a tense conversation between Díaz-Canel and a woman who reported losing her bed during Hurricane Melissa. The woman stated,”We don’t have a bed,” to which the President reportedly responded,”And I don’t have anything to give it to you now either,” appearing visibly frustrated.
The exchange sparked significant criticism both within and outside of Cuba, with many interpreting the response as lacking empathy towards those affected by the hurricane.
Chapping Shortly, hosted by journalist Arleen Rodríguez Derivet and broadcast on Facebook and Cubadebate, released a statement claiming the video was ”conveniently edited” as part of an “anti-Cuban propaganda” campaign aimed at damaging the President’s reputation. The program asserted that the circulated fragment omitted crucial parts of the conversation, where Díaz-canel allegedly explained recovery efforts and the anticipated arrival of aid.
Chapping Shortly published a transcript of the full exchange, claiming it demonstrates the President clarifying he did not have a bed immediately available, but promising future assistance thru state resources and recovery brigades. The program also characterized the controversy as a purposeful “media operation” intended to undermine the government’s efforts to demonstrate effective disaster management following Hurricane Melissa, which, according to the program, resulted in no fatalities.
Despite the official defence, the video continues to circulate on social media alongside reports from residents of El Cobre detailing a lack of assistance and worsening conditions. El Cobre, a town with historical significance as a symbol of faith and resistance, is among the areas hardest hit by the storm.
This response from state media underscores a pattern of the Cuban government focusing on challenging the source of criticism rather than addressing concerns about the perceived insensitivity of its responses to the devastation experienced by families in eastern Cuba.
