MADRID, Spain.- Luxurious houses, perfectly cared for ornamental trees, rental properties, restaurants, shops and tranquility, are located in the Vista Alegra neighborhood of Santiago de Cuba. The former Cuban president Raúl Castro even has one of his homes there.
This wealthy neighborhood, far from the misery of almost the entire island, resembles only some residential areas in Havana such as Siboney or Miramar.
Vista Alegre arose at the time of the Republic as a consequence of the growth of the City of Santiago de Cuba. It was the preferred area of residence for important personalities of the bourgeoisie of the time.
The distribution was linked to the city on February 5, 1908, with the inauguration of a tram line.
In the early years of the 20th century, more than 130 houses were built there, and the modern neighborhood model was a pioneer of its kind in the eastern part of Cuba, having only El Vedado in Havana as antecedent.
The exclusive urbanization is located in the coolest and most wooded area of the city.
In a recent report, the Cuban youtuber Yoliene showed the huge houses in this area, many with marble floors and a splendor that they can only keep wealthy people or senior government officials, not ordinary Cubans, nor the vast majority of the population.
Yoliene tried to approach Raúl Castro’s residence, but one of the guards guarding the place immediately prohibited her from entering.
In 2018, security measures in the Vista Alegre neighborhood and segments of the highways that lead to Siboney beach and the Antonio Maceo international airport, to the east and southeast of the city, increased considerably.
