The Unending Struggle for a Home: Nidia’s Story
Nidia Noruega stood outside the house of the Cuban president, wearing a red fake Moschino pullover and a white headscarf, with a deep-seated insult in her heart. Along with three other mothers and a troop of children, they set out to find Miguel Díaz-Canel’s home, a mystery until now.
Cuba’s leaders’ residences are shrouded in mystery, unlike the White House. Nidia stumbled upon Díaz-Canel’s house a few years ago, a mansion situated on the former Biltmore Yacht & Country Club grounds. The president’s whereabouts have become a symbol of inequality in a country where basic needs like food, water, and shelter are lacking.
Nidia’s children have only experienced life in shelters, a fate she has fought against for years. She has protested outside the president’s house multiple times, demanding action from a government that has failed to provide her with a permanent home.
The protests in Cuba, led mostly by women, focus on the daily struggles of acquiring basic necessities. Nidia’s story is just one among many, where mothers fight against the odds to provide for their children and demand better living conditions.
Despite facing threats and warnings from authorities, Nidia remains resolute. She believes that as long as she has no home, she will continue to knock on Díaz-Canel’s door, seeking justice and a place to call her own.
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