Related videos:
A resident of Bayamo, in the Cuban province of Granma, reported on social media the poor quality of the rice she received as part of the basic food basket. The video, shared by journalist Mario J. Pentón, shows a bag of rice with grains covered in mold, clumps, and greenish stains.
While reviewing the contents, the woman states, “Look at the mold inside here, look at that, this can’t be cooked because that rice is green, brown, I don’t know.” The recording also captures the voice of a child asking, “And is the food not ready yet? I’m hungry,” reflecting the scarcity that many families are experiencing on the island.
According to the testimony, the rice was delivered in the standard basket for this month, but it was in conditions that made it impossible to consume. The complaint comes amid a context of numerous grievances about spoiled food distributed by the Cuban state.
A pattern of complaints about spoiled food
Similar cases have been reported in various parts of Cuba over the past year. In February, a woman reported that the rice she received from the ration book was “infested with weevils”, showing the insects crawling among the grains. Other citizens claimed that the products supplied by the government come from military reserves and are distributed “before they completely spoil.”
In November, Cubans criticized the poor quality of the peas delivered at the bodegas, describing them as “full of bugs and with a bad smell,” in addition to reporting delays of several months in the delivery of essential products such as rice, sugar, and oil.
Already in October, a viral video on TikTok showcased that in a Cuban grocery store, the rice scheduled for June was being distributed, three months late, with the user displaying the product dirty and with pebbles.
The deterioration is not limited to grains. In November, citizens of Santiago de Cuba reported that the ground meat intended for children after Hurricane Melissa was rotten and showing signs of decomposition.
Also that month, residents of Las Tunas reacted with irony to the official announcement of the distribution of only one laundry soap and one personal soap per consumer, after more than eight months without receiving hygiene products.
Citizen complaints reflect a pattern of lack of quality control, delays in distribution, and ongoing shortages of food and basic products, particularly in the eastern provinces of the country.
In a context of inflation and prolonged blackouts, many Cubans rely on the regulated ration basket for their food, despite the fact that the products often arrive in insufficient quantities or in poor condition.
Filed under: