MIAMI, United States. – Official journalist Yirmara Torres Hernández publicly denounced the alarming increase in robberies in the city of Matanzas, where she resides, after being the victim of an assault in her own home in the early hours of Thursday, November 21. “They are stealing our sleep,” said Torres in a post on your Facebook profile.
“Yes, for those who have asked me internally, in response to a brief publication of mine, in which I commented on the fear I feel, YES, MY HOUSE WAS ROBBED,” the journalist confirmed. Torres expressed his deep fear after the incident: “I feel afraid because those who enter a house with people inside are willing to do anything.”
According to him, the thieves entered his home while his son was sleeping alone in the house. “They broke the padlock on the gate of the portal, they detached two or three slats from the frame of the living room blind, which is made of metal, and entered through there… Then they opened the door,” he explained. He added that his son had fallen asleep with all the lights on due to a blackout which lasted until 1:00 in the morning.
Torres also assured that he is concerned about the audacity of the criminals: “What terrifies me the most is that those thieves entered César’s room.” [su hijo] to take the sneakers and watches… There they also grabbed a removable hard drive,” he said. “What if Caesar had woken up? Well, better not even think about it,” he added.
Among the stolen assets were a smart television, a laptop, appliances and objects of sentimental value. “Caesar made a list of the things they took: smart TV, TV box, rice cookers and queen, a laptop, his backpack with his documents, university stipend card, microphones, a tabletcell phone charger, portable charger, his walking shoes and two watches that belonged to his father,” he listed.
The journalist, who served as president of the Union of Cuban Journalists (UPEC) in Matanzas and currently works for Editorial de la Mujer, questioned the effectiveness of the authorities in the face of the growing wave of robberies. “I feel afraid because those thieves and other gangs are loose in Matanzas, and the Police do little, very little,” he said. Torres pointed out that it is not an isolated case: “Yes, there is an escalation of robberies with force in Matanzas… and we, myself and other victims, are going to demonstrate it in the coming days.”
Likewise, he emphasized the need for immediate actions by the authorities. “If they don’t do something quickly, if they don’t get tough and tighten the screw, if they don’t do something that serves as an example, we are going to definitively lose one of the few achievements we had left: citizen tranquility,” he said.
The journalist acknowledged that insecurity has deeply affected her daily life. “Since the night they robbed my house, I haven’t slept… I’m keeping watch. “I have become a night owl,” she confessed.
Torres also shared his concern about the tactics the thieves might be using. “They say they put a substance that makes people sleepy…” he mentioned.
The journalist called on the community to take preventive measures. “We must take care of ourselves, secure the houses better, reactivate the guards, support each other among the neighbors… because we are not safe even inside our homes,” he urged. Likewise, he emphasized the importance of information: “The people need to know… it is not about causing panic, but people will only be able to prepare better if our media alerts them.”
Furthermore, Torres reflected on the causes behind these criminal acts. “There have always been robberies… and thieves… But we already know that in crises these phenomena are exacerbated,” he noted.
Finally, he made a direct call to the authorities. “As a Cuban citizen I need protection. And as a journalist, I feel the duty to report and call for more and better information,” he declared. “I need my sleep back. I need to sleep peacefully. “Will it be possible?” he concluded.
