While the people protested in the streets of Santiago de Cuba on Wednesday night, the regime accelerated the distribution and allocation of donations to quell popular discontent.
One kilogram per person of rice or pasta is the amount that the provincial government began to distribute (in May) to cover the food quota for March in several municipalities of the province.
The delivery includes rice or pasta, depending on "logistical criteria," and takes place amid what the authorities themselves refer to as a "context of scarcity," a euphemism that has already become a national hallmark.
The information was released by the state media Sierra Maestra, which reports triumphantly on the start of the unloading of a ship loaded with donations.
The shipment, which arrived more than two months late, is now being distributed urgently: 1 kilo of rice in Santiago de Cuba, Palma Soriano, Mella, Contramaestre, and Guamá; and 1 kilo of pasta in Tercer Frente, Songo-La Maya, San Luis, and Segundo Frente.
The difference, the note clarifies, is due to "availability criteria," as if needs were also selective by geography.
Furthermore, it makes it very clear that it is one product or the other, not both.
For this logistical epic, a mixed operation was set up with state and private transporters, aiming to prevent delays, speculation, or hoarding, according to Sierra Maestra.
The president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power in Santiago de Cuba, Yaneidis Hechavarría, informed via Facebook that “trucks and forces” are already in place to expedite the unloading of rice at the Guillermón Moncada port, as part of the operation for distributing the food donation.
The urgency in the delivery does not conceal the delay of over two months in providing basic food supplies, nor the contradiction of having to celebrate with an epic tone the arrival of a donation to cover an overdue payment.
But beyond the organizational spectacle, the reality is that donations have become the usual mechanism for "food management" in Cuba.
While the government blames the "blockade" as the sole cause of the collapse, families continue to wait for food that never arrives on time, and for solutions that exist only in the most polished speeches.
The chronic dependence on foreign donations and the distribution of "a kilo per person" are the clearest symptoms of a model that neither produces, nor imports in a timely manner, nor responds with dignity to the needs of the people.
The regime's urgency to deliver "food" in Santiago de Cuba is neither casual nor humanitarian: it responds to an increasingly tense social climate, as reported by journalist Yosmany Mayeta on Facebook.
After a night of protests in Santiago de Cuba, the warehouses are receiving "gifted" rice and the ATMs are filled with cash.
The party authorities, aware of the impending social unrest, expedited the distribution of donated rice, delivering "one kilogram per person" to the municipal warehouses, the communicator emphasized.
Meanwhile, the ATMs, which had been empty for weeks, were unexpectedly replenished with cash right after the pot-banging and the demonstrations.
The reaction did not go unnoticed: immense lines formed in front of supermarkets and sales points, as happened in Reparto Antonio Maceo, the recent scene of a robbery of infant formula.
Residents chose to sleep outside the warehouses to avoid running out of the product, while the shortage continues to impact the tables of thousands of households, added Mayeta.
In this context, it is added that in the province there is no flour to ensure the regulated bread of the basic basket as production faces severe setbacks due to the lack of imported raw materials and the inability to mill locally.
Moreover, at a time of severe energy crisis, the local government is "seeking" alternatives to sell to the population due to the absence of liquefied gas.
Frequently Asked Questions about Food Distribution in Santiago de Cuba
Why is only one kilogram of rice or pasta distributed per person in Santiago de Cuba?
The distribution of only one kilogram of rice or pasta per person in Santiago de Cuba reflects a "context of scarcity" that has forced the government to ration the donations received. The chronic shortage of food has made this type of distribution common on the island.
What is the reason for the delay in the arrival of food to Cuba?
The delay in the arrival of food to Cuba is due to multiple factors, including logistical issues, lack of resources, and an increasing reliance on international donations. The food shipment arrived more than two months late, highlighting deficiencies in government management and distribution logistics.
How does food scarcity affect Cuban families?
The food shortage in Cuba severely affects families, limiting their access to basic and essential products for their daily diet. Families face long waits and must turn to the black market, where prices are excessively high, to obtain food items like rice and pasta.
What has the Cuban government done to improve food distribution?
The Cuban government has attempted to improve food distribution through joint operations with state and private transporters, as well as securing trucks and forces to expedite logistical processes. However, these measures have not managed to resolve the chronic shortages or the delays in the delivery of basic food items.
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