The recent statements made by the Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, regarding the need for each municipality to achieve its own "food sovereignty," have sparked a wave of criticism on social media.
Many citizens perceive this proposal as an attempt by the central government to evade responsibility for the deep food crisis the country is experiencing, shifting the burden to local authorities.
During a government visit to the province of Mayabeque, Marrero emphasized that "the safest food we will have is the food we are able to produce". According to Granma, the prime minister urged each municipality to develop its own agricultural strategy to achieve the "longed-for municipal autonomy."
However, these statements have been met with skepticism and dissatisfaction from the population. On digital platforms, numerous Cubans have expressed their distrust towards government policies related to food production.
A social media user sarcastically commented, "Which municipality does Marrero live in?" suggesting that the Prime Minister might be out of touch with the reality faced by ordinary citizens, while also making a veiled reference to the well-fed and bloated appearance of the Cuban regime’s leader.
Previous failures in "food sovereignty"
This is not the first time that Cuban authorities have tried to delegate responsibility for the food crisis. For years, the regime has promoted the idea of achieving "food sovereignty," but the results have become increasingly disheartening.
In 2020, the government began to emphasize this concept with the promise of reducing reliance on imports and ensuring the supply of basic foodstuffs.
Two years later, in July 2022, The Law on Food Sovereignty and Food and Nutritional Security was approved, aimed at ensuring the right of the population to sufficient and healthy food. However, the implementation of the law has been ineffective, and Cubans have faced the worst food shortages in decades.
Marrero himself confirmed in November 2022 that "Cuba is advancing in its food sovereignty plan", although production data and market shortages indicated otherwise.
In July 2023, Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People's Power, expressed his frustration over the lack of progress: "I haven't heard anything about the results yet. Where are the results of all this?".
The acknowledgment of failure and the search for blame
Despite the official rhetoric, in December 2024 the Communist Party of Cuba officially acknowledged the failure in food production, admitting that "the results we have achieved today do not meet the needs of the population."
Now, instead of taking responsibility, the regime seems to be seeking new strategies to shift the blame for the economic and agricultural disaster.
Marrero's proposal for each municipality to manage its own food production fits this pattern: the central government seeks to wash its hands of responsibility, placing the burden on local administrations and the farmers themselves.
Citizens, however, have quickly pointed out the contradictions in this discourse. "How can autonomy be achieved if the State continues to control commercialization and prices?" questioned an internet user.
The reality: More scarcity and skyrocketing prices
Mientras el gobierno promueve el discurso de la "autonomía municipal", la realidad del país muestra un panorama desolador.
At the end of 2022, a Cuban asked on social media "what food sovereignty are we talking about?" when the authorities decided to sell bones to the population instead of meat.
"How can you go to another country to give a conference on food security and nutrition while serving leftovers to your own people?" questioned the Cuban journalist and professor.
In January 2025, Cubans reported the alarming thickness of the supply book, which reflects the gradual shortage of basic goods. Meanwhile, official figures indicate that domestic food production continues to plummet.
In this context, the regime's strategy of placing responsibility on municipalities and local producers appears to be an attempt to divert attention from the failure of its economic and agricultural model.
The food crisis continues to worsen, and rather than finding structural solutions, the government is betting on new slogans to try to maintain the official narrative.
Manuel Marrero: Between Rhetoric and Reality
Installed in a fictitious Cuba and believing their own propaganda rhetoric, Cuban leaders have yet to come to terms with the terrifying reality in which the number of citizens at risk of food insecurity is increasing.
In December 2023, the Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel returned from a tour of the Middle East, showcasing "positive results," with particular emphasis on the sensitivity shown towards investments in food sovereignty for Cuba.
There was a great sensitivity in supporting investments in food sovereignty for Cuba,” said Díaz-Canel from his imaginary oasis, giving his subjects hope for Arab petrodollars to produce food on the island.
Months earlier, Díaz-Canel's executive chief posed a damning question during a meeting where the results of the agricultural sector in 2022 were being analyzed.
Where is the food on the plate? questioned Marrero Cruz after acknowledging that 63 measures and a Food Sovereignty Law had not resolved the shortages on the island. "There are many measures, many laws and all, but where is the food on the plate?" the leader insisted.
Almost two years after that question, food scarcity remains one of the main problems faced by Cubans, while the regime, rather than acknowledging its inability, insists on shifting the responsibility to the municipalities.
Marrero Cruz's speech on "municipal autonomy" has been met with mockery and criticism because it does not reflect the reality that Cubans live. For many, the ironically resonating question remains: "In which municipality does Marrero live?"
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