Religious members of Santeria, Cuba’s Afro-Cuban tradition, warned on Thursday in their forecasts for 2025 that if the authorities continue taking the same measures and there are no changes, there will be no solution to the serious problems that afflict the Caribbean nation.
In addition, they expressed concern about the growing violence and citizen insecurity.
In a ceremony, as it does every year, the Letter of the Year Commission on October 10 released a ruling sign for 2025, the accompanying deities and the proverbs that mark the trajectory of the months to come.
The religious group, one of the most prestigious in the country, obtained “Odibre” as its sign and the ruling divinities will be “Odua” – related to righteousness, justice and equity – and “Yewa” – who presides over the pantheons. .
“All the signs, the 256 signs that the literary body of Ifá (the religious system of Santería) supports is a compendium of good things that to achieve them we have to fight against bad things,” said the babalawo, as the signs are called. priests of the Yoruba tradition, Lazaro Cuesta, one of the organizers. “The hand of man is what makes it possible for the hand of Ifá to be executed in a favorable manner,” he added.
The first saying of the sign was forceful, Cuesta said: “attachment to the past does not reveal present solutions or future plans.”
“If I have a series of problems, the first thing I have to do is recognize that I have the problem, as long as I want to decorate it… I will never find a solution,” said Cuesta, who recognized the not only religious but also social and political reach that this problem has. proverb for the island authorities. “You cannot live with slogans, offering what we cannot.”
Cuba is going through a serious economic crisis marked by shortages, lack of fuel and blackouts. The situation caused a wave of migration, while critics of the government asked the authorities for changes.
Another of the groups that obtained a Letter of the Year was the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba, which has official recognition, and the sign obtained was Ogunda Ogbe. While the ruling deities for these religious will be “Chango” – patron of lightning, fire and thunder – and “Ochun” – associated with feminine sensuality, fertility and destiny.
The Association also emphasized the care of diseases of all kinds.
Both organizations agreed to warn and be vigilant regarding an increase in criminal activities.
Born from the traditions of African slaves and their syncretism with the Catholic religion, Santeria is the religion most followed by the Cuban population and its beliefs expanded to the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Spain, places where other groups also draw Annual “letters.”
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