Mother is Detained and Fined for Public Criticism of Health Care in Cuba

a translation from the Spanish:

Moron, Cuba -- October 4, 2006
by Tico Morales, APLA / www.cubanet.org

Maria Rosales Campos, resident of Peonia, was detained for more than 24 hours for demanding her daughter's medication at a pharmacy.

This past Monday, Rosales went to the Serfin Sanches y Marti pharmacy at 8:00 a.m. with a prescription for her diabetic daughter, who is 6 years old. She was told that they were out of insulin, and suggested she to to the Narciso Lopez y Maximo Gomez pharmacy.

Once she got there, she found a long line and waited her turn. However, when she reached the pharmacist, she was told they were also out of insulin. Rosales apparently began crying and made statements against the government.

The pharmacist called the police, and they escorted Rosales to the First National Revolutionary Police station in Moron, where she was kept under arrest.

Her husband, Evaristo Sanchez, having returned home in the afternoon, had to take their daughter, who was in an advanced state of distress, to the hospital. The alarmed medical staff were able to properly treat the girl.

Rosales was kept in jail overnight, and was fined $400 Cuban pesos.