Only 46% of the complaints received by the media in the year were responded to
14ymedio, Havana, 22 September 2024 — The uncomfortable “Acknowledgement of Receipt” section, in which one of Cuba’s official newspapers, Juventud Rebelde, takes advantage of its “freedom” to publish readers’ complaints, translated the inefficiency of Cuban officials into numbers on Sunday. “Of the complaints published here in 2024, only 46% received a response,” said the media, which considers that the situation “leaves much to be desired.”
José Alejandro Rodríguez, the journalist who has written the section for years and whose “criticisms” have gained popularity among the readers of Juventud Rebelde, explains that, after a “grace period” of 60 days that they grant to each official or organization to respond to the complaints of Cubans – some of them serious, such as the one published by two Cuban doctors who have not received their salaries in a year – the attitude remains disappointing.
Among those who did respond to the claims – which can range from a broken pipe to the absence of a basic service for months – 69.5% limit themselves to explaining the reason why the demand has not been resolved, and 30% do not even offer excuses. Once again, the newspaper regrets, the situation “reveals little respect” for the problems of citizens.
‘Juventud Rebelde’ is pleased that, with respect to the 2023 numbers, this year the section has received more responses
However, Juventud Rebelde is pleased that, with respect to the 2023 issues, this year the section has received more responses. On concrete solutions, however, there are no statistics – although it is expected that they were few – but the article reveals a clue to how the disinterest and lack of action of the leaders is handled at the state level: “Only 4.3% of the responses reveal the measures taken with those responsible for violations and negligence, whether they were managers or workers.”
The newspaper even goes to the newsroom psychologist to try to unravel the cause behind so much “non-compliance.” “The chronicity of some problems is still an excuse for not providing the follow-up and explanations to those affected. This causes the feeling of abandonment that afflicts those people, who already suffer major problems,” says the specialist, hitting the nail on the head.
Even so, hiding behind the seriousness of the situation is just one of the strategies that leaders have to escape public pressure. Generating in people the feeling of being heard and holding subordinates responsible for mistakes are other cards that officials hide up their sleeves.
Hiding behind the seriousness of the situation is just one of the strategies that leaders have to escape public pressure
This was masterfully demonstrated this week by Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, during a visit to Gibara, in Holguín. The leader not only accused local officials of not sitting down like him to listen to the problems of the farmers, but also that – while he imparted classes on sympathy and paying attention to the complaints of Cubans – his voice was the only one that resounded in the building that served as his school.
Juventud Rebelde is clear: “The negligence and lack of institutional control continue to lacerate the citizen,” and Cubans are “stubborn” about not pointing out the problems. However, the newspaper follows the line of the Communist Party, which assures that the answer lies in listening to the people when, in reality, fewer ears and more solutions are needed.
The readers of the newspaper know it well. They applaud the “good analysis” of José Alejandro Rodríguez, but they regret that the situation has reached these extremes. “In my time, the answer to what was badly done was almost always ’it came from above’,” highlights one of the commentators at the bottom of the page. As a task, he adds, he suggests that the journalist investigate if “the one who does not respond” does not do so because he does not want to or if “muteness continues to come from above.”
Translated by Regina Anavy
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