They seem to deal much better with hurricane emergencies in Cuba. (McGrath).

That's what they say. However, in totalitarian countries as Cuba, all reports of the press are cleared with the party and paint a picture of a succession of successes.

Am I cynical? Yes. There was too much GDR propaganda I have believed and defended as true only to find out later that I had believed lies. Not even train accident casualties (easy to count) could be believed. The whole system was based on a near continuous flow of lies (and not only about serious matters as the death penalty). That was known to most of the GDR population and had the effect that they did not even believe the papers and TV when they told the truth. (There were some bad surprises in recent years when the free market capitalism showed to be nearly as bad as it was portrayed in the GDR propaganda)

Do I imply that the Cuban leaders lie about the effect of the hurricanes? Not necessarily. They might be telling the truth. I just don't know. But a country in which "the spreading of "unauthorized news"" is prosecuted is not a country whose official statements I have much trust in.

Wolfgang