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The Cuban regime celebrated the addition of a wood-fired oven on Wednesday in the bakery of the Base Business Unit (UEB) Food in the municipality of Vertientes, Camagüey province.
The measure, presented as an "innovation" by the provincial government on Facebook, aims to sustain the production of family rationed bread amid the severe energy crisis the country is experiencing.
In statements to the state-run station Radio Vertientes, the director of the UEB, Mayelín Borrego Hernández, explained that the new oven — built by the workers themselves — is part of a plan to "implement science and innovation" in production. She assured that the model will be replicated in the rural community of Los Ángeles before the end of the year.
Wood-fired ovens in the 21st century
The measure has been presented as an alternative to ensure bread amidst the ongoing blackouts, but it exposes the precariousness of the system: while in the world, baking advances with electric and state-of-the-art ovens, in Cuba, the official “solution” is to revert to the use of firewood as an energy source.
In a small inauguration ceremony, the company's management recognized the workers who participated in the project. Local authorities described the initiative as part of the "strategic projections of the government" to diversify basic services.
What the regime presents as a "milestone" actually reflects the inability to maintain the most basic services amid a chronic energy crisis. Instead of addressing the structural problems affecting the electrical system, the government relies on makeshift measures that roll back decades of progress in the country’s development.
Similar cases
Amid scheduled disruptions to electricity and gas services, a bakery in the Centro Habana municipality had to resort to wood cooking to ensure the delivery of standard bread to the public during the past month of April.
The Centro Habana Bakery, located on Árbol Seco Street between Estrella and Maloja, in the Pueblo Nuevo People's Council, managed to maintain its production despite energy limitations, utilizing traditional methods for baking bread, emphasized the regime, which presented the case as an "ingenious solution."
In Havana, the crisis in the distribution of regulated bread has sparked a wave of discontent among the population. In municipalities such as Guanabacoa, Regla, Boyeros, and Plaza de la Revolución, many residents have reported going days without receiving this basic food item.
In other locations, there are reports of deliveries with weights lower than the legally established standards or with unpredictable distribution schedules. This issue affects all provinces of the country.
Frequently asked questions about the energy crisis and the use of wood stoves in Cuba
Why is a wood-fired oven being used in a bakery in Camagüey?
The use of the wood-fired oven in the bakery of Camagüey is due to the severe energy crisis currently affecting Cuba. This measure aims to ensure the production of bread for the regulated family basket amidst ongoing blackouts and electricity shortages.
How does the energy crisis impact bread production in Cuba?
The energy crisis has led some provinces, such as Havana and Camagüey, to resort to traditional methods such as wood-burning stoves and ovens to maintain bread production. This reflects the precariousness of the energy system and the regime's inability to provide modern and effective solutions.
What impact does the energy crisis have on the daily lives of Cubans?
The crisis severely affects the daily lives of Cubans, who are confronted with prolonged blackouts, a lack of gas and electricity for cooking, and shortages of basic foods such as bread. Many families resort to unsafe and outdated methods for cooking, increasing the risk to their health and well-being.
What alternatives are being implemented in Cuba to address the energy crisis?
The Cuban regime has attempted to implement solar parks and the use of wood-burning stoves as alternatives to address the energy crisis. However, these measures are seen as insufficient and a technological regression, as they do not resolve the structural problems of the country's electrical system.
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