Cuba's Santeria priests foretell crime and disease in new year

A follower of the Yoruba religion Randell Montero speaks during a news conference in Havana, Cuba, January 2, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

HAVANA (Reuters) - Priests from Cuba's Afro-Cuban Santeria religion on Tuesday warned that rising homicides and a spike in illness could worsen an already punishing economic crisis that has pushed historic numbers of Cubans to migrate abroad.

Dozens of the priests, known as babalawos, from the 10 de Octubre municipality in Havana, shared their annual "Letter of the Year," a prophecy of misfortune, disease and other events that Santeria followers anxiously await every year.