PCC leader in Las Tunas on corruption cases: "Everything will be revealed in due time."

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) in the province of Las Tunas, Osbel Lorenzo Rodríguez, stated that cases of corruption will only be officially reported when the law allows it, and he lashed out at citizen and journalistic criticisms on social media.

He also addressed the allegations of influence peddling and crimes that are circulating unofficially in public opinion during his appearance on the monthly television magazine broadcast by the TunasVisión telecentre, where the primary political and government authorities in the region participate.

In this regard, Lorenzo stated that the authorities will provide information "in due time," but stressed that the presumption of innocence and due process prevent disclosing details until permitted by law.

The leader acknowledged that citizens have the right to express their grievances, though he warned that criticisms should avoid causing harm to collective or private property, as well as to people's dignity, as specified in the summary of the program published by the official newspaper 26.

With this clarification, he conditioned the scope of public expressions of discontent.

The first secretary of the PCC in Las Tunas launched an attack on social media and even questioned journalists from official media outlets who have expressed critical opinions about the government's and the Party's management in Las Tunas.

He described those comments as offensive and criticized the tendency to "blame others" for the problems in the province.

The Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez visited the municipalities of Jobabo and Colombia in the province of Las Tunas in April, where he acknowledged that serious social and economic problems persist, affecting the tranquility of the population.

One of the main topics discussed was the growing corruption in the relationships between state entities and the non-state sector of the economy, which was initially promoted as a necessary complement.

Díaz-Canel acknowledged that serious irregularities have been detected in the leasing of premises and the payment for services and products with public funds, and announced that criminal responsibility will be sought in the most severe cases.

In March, it was revealed that the former mayor of the tunero municipality of Puerto Padre, Maricela Alonso Ojeda, was , after being found guilty of appropriating state property intended for sale to the public.

The Provincial People's Court of Las Tunas indicated that, alongside her, Mario Quirino Infante Sosa, former administrator of the Palace of Pioneers, who is considered to be an accomplice in the events, was also sentenced to six years of imprisonment.

Regarding this embezzlement case, the news portal Cubanos por el Mundo reported last January that Alonso was detained and faced multiple charges related to corruption.

According to that source, alongside her, the First Secretary of the Communist Party in the municipality, Yanisleidys Fernández López, and the Secretary of the Municipal Assembly of the People's Power, Juana Álvarez Fernández, were also under investigation, as they had been named by the former administrator of the Palace of Pioneers.

The accusations reported by the outlet included the diversion of state resources for procurement and subsequent resale to local small and medium-sized enterprises, forgery of documents to justify these operations, theft and illegal sale of state-owned fuel, and abuse of the position assigned by the Cuban government authorities.

In addition, at least five other ongoing investigations were mentioned, involving several political and administrative figures in the region.

While the judicial verdict was applauded by certain sectors, others see it as an insufficient sanction that does not address the underlying structural problems of the system.

In that context, on March 25, it was reported about the removal of Walter Simón Noris as the first secretary in Las Tunas, after less than a year in office, without specifying the reasons.

Previously, the authorities in Tunera promised to act with "rigor" against those responsible for adulterating milk intended for children aged zero to seven years, an incident that highlights the lack of oversight by the local government.

The authorities of the PCC and the government assured that drastic measures will be taken against those involved, although no details have been provided about the extent of the sanctions or concrete actions to improve the quality of the product that reaches the population.

The outcry on digital platforms reveals the deep indignation of Cubans, driven by widespread distrust of the authorities and a constant perception of corruption.

Citizens are still awaiting official information regarding the largest corruption case in recent times, which concluded with the arrest of the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Planning, Alejandro Gil Fernández.

Gil was removed from his position, and the government only stated that an investigative file had been opened in the Prosecutor's Office for "serious mistakes" during his tenure.

At the time this corruption scandal broke, he was overseeing highly responsible processes in Cuba such as banking, remittance control, and monetary regulation. The regime is keeping this case completely under wraps.

Frequently Asked Questions about Corruption and Government Management in Las Tunas