As Deadly Cholera Spreads in Cuba, the Martís Provide Reality-Check on the Extent of the Outbreak
Miami – Radio and TV Martí are covering an alarming number of cases of cholera in Cuba, an outbreak of the sometimes deadly disease that the Havana government is refusing to acknowledge.
The Martís are among the only sources the Cuban people can turn to for accurate information about the outbreak, which spreads largely through unsanitary water and sewer systems like those found across Cuba. Weather events like Hurricane Sandy can hasten spread of the disease.
“This is another case in which the people of Cuba are turning to the Martís for vital information that the Cuban government is keeping from them. This is a very serious health crisis and the Cuban people need this information,” said Carlos García-Pérez, director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting which oversees the Martís.
The Martís have relied upon interviews with independent journalists, dissidents, hospital workers and relatives of patients to report on the outbreak, which has affected dozens of Cubans largely in the eastern part of the island.