Enrique and Belkis, Another Love Story in Times of Pandemic

Enrique was her first and only love, tells me someone who knows them well. However, since those university days when everything began, perhaps Belkis Fernández never saw her husband's love so overflowing, overwhelmed. Darn, are we talking about a long and deep love that saw a daughter born and fought all the battles of life. But the new coronavirus posed another test for them.

"When Enrique approaches and tells me that he is getting ready to work on the rescue of the Cruise, I was alarmed, I said: oh Enrique, but you are over 60 years old, that disease is very difficult for elder people. I told him, but deep inside me I knew that, when the time came, the least I was going to think about was age, because we really are a generation trained with humanistic, collaborative values and he has always been a person who helps everyone, who cooperates, at times like this he could not be any different, there was no other choice, I knew and was convinced that he was going to step forward. So my position and that of the rest of the family could not be other than support him, explain him, tell him that nothing would happen if he abided all the measures and, furthermore, we were confident that he would do the best he could ” .

Enrique Fernández was one of Transtur drivers who participated in the rescue of the MS Broamar. In his house he tells us how a man over sixty years old ended up at the center of this humanitarian operation.

“First we were called at a meeting and it was said we had a government task to be fulfilled, so we had already been told off the record. Then officially, the Director of the Branch came and explained the details of the mission. We agreed right away. I am the Union Leader of the Brigade 2 and I helped in the selection of those who were going to participate, because we were told that they should be the youngest, but if I helped in the selection how come I will not go, I have to be the example right?"

Since that moment on began the preparation to preserve the health and life of everyone:

 “We were explained how the process would develop, a colleague from the Armed Forces explained the subject of clothing, that is, all the details on how to do it. They explained that the clothes were going to be incinerated afterwards, that they were to be disposed of, from shoes to underwear, everything was going to be incinerated. Once we arrived at Mariel, to collect the passengers from the ship, a medical team was in charge of dressing us and explaining in detail the does and don’ts, all to the letter.

Were you afraid?

"I was a little worried because the operation was done first with the passengers who showed no symptoms in the ship and the last four cars, where I was, were going to transport suspicious patients, those who had been coughing, ran a fever, with symptoms of the disease. So, they dressed us differently. The doctor helped me into green clothes, on top of the clothes to be discarded and then white clothes, with an apron, eyeglasses, gloves, etc. She explains very well, something I am forever grateful for, she told me: Enrique, don't be afraid that nothing will happen, if you follow all the protocols, nothing will happen to you at all, but you have to do everything I explained to you. "

At home, there were sleepless nights, although not even Belkis herself knew how close to the Covid 19 her husband would be:

“I didn't know that Enrique was going to work with the sick, I knew that when he had already arrived at the center where they had them evacuated for epidemiological surveillance, that's when he told me, then I was even more alarmed. During those fourteen days we were watching the reports on television, we talked with him, are you okay? Don't you feel any symptoms? His colleagues, those who did not participate, were always present, calling us on the phone, giving us support, that solidarity, we always found support on them. They were already leaving on Thursday and he called me on Wednesday night, almost at dawn and told me that they were going to do the quick tests. The next day, when he told me that they all had tested negative, we breathed deeply, because we were already convinced that everything had turned out well, because everyone was in good health, perfect. ”

Belkis is more relieved now and as convinced as ever that the love of her life could not be other than this warrior, who not only received recognition from his family:

"Well imagine, when we approached the cruise ship, looking at the cabins, you saw passengers showing hearts, blowing kisses at us, with opened arms, they held posters for us, it was quite touching. It was something that had to be done. It was a human gesture that we felt the commitment to do, those lives had to be saved. Once again we showed that we are solidary, it’s one of the principles that guide our socialism, our way of life here, we feel fine, it was what had to be done”.

And they did it. They saved those lives and both Enrique and his wife, Belkis, proudly tell this story of infinite love in times of pandemic. A story of solidarity and humanism is always a story of love.

Amilkal Labañino / Cubasi Translation Staff