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The Cuban actor and activist Daniel Triana Rubio, known on social media as Danielito Tri Tri, shared his experience through his Facebook account regarding the food sold in kiosks (mipymes) in Cuba. "Lately, if you buy any cookie, sorbet, chocolate, or something else at any kiosk (mipyme), there is a very high chance that it will be spoiled. Everything is stale, rotten, expired. The bread flour tastes like sack,” he expressed.
Triana lamented that the juices "are not natural at all, everything tastes chemical, with a thousand additives," and mentioned a recent experience where she bought a carton of eggs with spoiled units. "They tell me it could be because the goods spend a lot of time stuck in the port before being processed. So, are we eating imported and extremely old eggs?" she questioned.
Furthermore, the actor lamented that "you can no longer snack on anything that isn't processed. Natural juices don't exist, nor does bread with anything, and all snacks are loaded with sugar or are deep-fried." In his complaint, he emphasized that "if you are out on the street and want to snack on something healthy, you have to go to a farmers' market or buy peanuts that could be bad as well. They're importing poison."
Triana's words sparked comments and reactions on social media. Users like film critic Frank Eduardo Padrón Nodarse directly recommended "waiting until getting home," while others echoed the activist's sentiments, noting that one can no longer trust the quality of the food being sold on the streets.
Daniel Triana concluded his virtual 'venting' with a reflection on the country's situation, expressing the hope that "mipymes continue to exist, but I wish the quality would be regulated."
The publication from Triana is part of a series of recent reports about the poor quality of food in Cuba, particularly in the state-run sector. Last week, the announcer Laritza Camacho visited the Coppelia ice cream shop after its reopening and highlighted that, despite promises of improvement, the place still offered few flavor options and subpar services.
A Cuban mother also reported that the regulated rice she received at the store was infested with weevils, suggesting that the government keeps the products stored in military reserves and distributes them only when they are about to spoil.
Another relevant case occurred in Santiago de Cuba, where in February citizens reported the poor quality of the regulated bread, which arrived at bakeries with a low-quality texture, burnt parts, and an unusual flavor.
The official television attacks the small and medium enterprises
Cuban television, for its part, has intensified its criticism of these private businesses. In a recent report, the official spokesperson Talía González stated that "the majority of essential products in national currency can be found in non-state sector establishments, but they do not comply with the established prices."
The report focused on the "exorbitant prices" of micro, small, and medium enterprises (mipymes), while ignoring that state-run dollar stores have imposed even higher costs. Although the state requires mipymes to sell products at controlled prices, the entrepreneurs themselves have reported that state wholesale markets do not provide them with sufficient supplies.
The constant complaints about the low quality of food products have raised concern among the Cuban population, which increasingly has fewer options to ensure adequate nutrition. While the government criticizes the prices of small and medium enterprises, it continues to promote the partial dollarization of the economy with MLC stores where only those who receive dollars from abroad can make purchases.
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