The Spanish journalist and professor Ignacio Ramonet visited the state agricultural company "16 de abril" located near Havana and said it was a marvel of socialist production.
"The agricultural company 16 de abril. A marvel! Lands now fertile and well worked! Generous harvests! Animals and offspring multiplying! All ecological! A Garden of Eden! An efficient and prosperous agricultural socialism," said Ramonet.
The Spaniard visited the farm with Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, Secretary of Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba.
Ramonet's statements have generated a wave of criticism among the Cuban population, as they come at a time when the country is facing a severe economic crisis, with inflation and food shortages. Many citizens live in extreme poverty due to the failed economic policies of the regime.
Desperation has led to an increase in emigration, with the young population seeking better opportunities outside the island. Productivity levels in the country are decreasing.
This week the Presidency of Cuba published an almost two-hour interview that the journalist had with the Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, about issues of daily life, economic matters, and international politics.
José Raúl Gallego, a journalist and activist from Camagüey, questioned the words of Ramonet, accusing him of being a propagandist for the Cuban regime who benefits from the government's favors.
Ramonet's visit and his praise for the state farm seem out of touch with the harsh reality faced by most Cubans, exacerbating the frustration and skepticism of the population towards foreign figures perceived as accomplices of the regime.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under: