Cuba's collapse, caused by decades of disastrous communist policies, is underway, and a significant portion of the country's housing is in ruins, posing a high risk to poor residents living in buildings that may collapse at any time. is bringing about.
Building collapses are a recurring and deadly problem for Cubans. The communist Castro regime, which controls housing and all other aspects of Cuban life, has no control over improving housing for its citizens or maintaining Cuba's historic buildings, many of which are currently in a precarious state. He doesn't seem interested.
Due to a lack of investment in the repair and construction of new buildings and housing, more and more buildings are being abandoned. collapse or intimidate and leave the population in a constant state. fear.
Although some collapse accidents do not result in any fatalities or injuries, many such accidents result in damage. claimed The lives of some residents and passersby. One of the most notable incidents that occurred recently was 2022 A gas explosion at the Hotel Saratoga in Havana kills 45 Cubans. The explosion caused severe damage to the hotel as well as the hotel. surrounding residential building.
According to statement Sixty-five percent of Cuba's 4.07 million housing units are considered to be in “good technical condition,” according to a report released last week by Delilah Díaz Fernández, the communist regime's head of housing. Castro regime officials also acknowledged that 59 of Cuba's 168 municipalities have not completed basic housing units, 10 of which are in Havana.
Experts expressed extreme doubts about the statistical data provided by Mr. Díaz Fernández, caveat Last week, Miami-based outlet Martí Noticias reported that the situation was actually worse.
Yaxis Sires, advisor to the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH), said: “When it comes to housing, our research shows that about 30 percent are in good condition, but everything else needs to be repaired or is on the verge of collapse.'' It's at risk.” Non-governmental organization.
Entrepreneurial advisor Ángel Marcelo Rodríguez Pita told Marti Noticias that the Castro regime lacks the means to respond to the needs of people who need to repair their homes and is suffocating the “private sector” that does so. pointed out.
“Latest countermeasure According to the announcement, wholesale commercialization is limited to private companies and cement and sand cannot currently be imported. So how do they expect to change the construction landscape in this country?'' Rodriguez Pita said.
Builder Guillermo del Sol told the Miami-based newspaper: “A lot of the subsidies ended up in Cuba, the houses were left half-built, some of the materials were sold, and the rest were left unfinished. It didn't appear at all.''
“Even though subsidies for affordable housing were approved, these houses were left half-finished and others were not even started, because the state is unable to provide for these people. Because we don't have the materials on the market,” Del Sol said.
Instead of investing in the renovation of Cuba's apartment buildings or funding the construction of new housing solutions, the Castro regime chose to invest in hotels and other tourist facilities. These are all reserved for foreign tourists. can't access And it is out of reach for the average Cuban citizen.
By November, reportedly According to information released by Havana, 33,889 households, or 132,699 individuals, are still in need of housing in Havana, out of a population of 2.1 million. grandmathe official newspaper of the Cuban Communist Party.
report published According to an August study, the Castro government increased investment in hotels and restaurants by 112 percent in the first term of 2024. In contrast, only 1 percent of the budget was invested, according to data from Cuba's National Institute of Statistics and Information (ONEI). in the fields of education, public health and social assistance.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here
