Agricultural engineer Roberto Caballero, a former official in the agricultural sector and a member of the National Executive Committee of Agricultural and Forestry Technicians, broke his silence on Monday following the wave of criticism sparked by his controversial statements on Cuban state television, where he suggested reducing the consumption of rice and potatoes.
In a lengthy post on his Facebook profile, Caballero stated that his words were “misinterpreted” and denied having suggested “taking rice and potatoes away from the people,” clarifying that his intention was to highlight the need for a more balanced and sustainable diet.
"I had kept myself out of all the debate because, unlike those who react with rudeness and insults, I respect everyone's opinion," he wrote. "However, due to the repetitive nature of this mistake, I feel it is necessary to make a few clarifications: I NEVER said that rice and potatoes should be taken away from the people, but rather that a healthy and balanced diet should not be skewed toward one or two products," he emphasized.
The specialist emphasized that he has not belonged to the Ministry of Agriculture or any state entity "for more than 20 years," and that his opinions do not represent official positions of the Cuban government. "I exercised the sacred right to express my opinion," he said, adding that he is willing to engage in "ethical and respectful" debate.
Caballero also recalled that he was “thrown out from the early days of this century for expressing what I think” and stated that his only goal has been to help Cuba achieve “what Martí said: that with its production it can meet its consumption.”
Context of the controversy
The original statements from the agronomist were made during the government-affiliated program Cuadrando la Caja, broadcast on national television. In that space, Caballero stated that one of the main obstacles to achieving so-called "food sovereignty" was the "eating habits of the population."
“We have gotten used to eating foods that are not native to our country,” he said, mentioning potatoes and rice as examples of crops that, according to him, require high production costs and imported supplies. “We are not Asians. Eating rice is not a Cuban habit,” he added with a laugh.
His words unleashed a wave of outrage on social media, where numerous Cubans and activists felt that the speech aimed to hold the population accountable for the country's food crisis, instead of acknowledging the structural failures of the state agricultural model.
After the storm of reactions, Caballero insisted that his call is to diversify agricultural production with crops better suited to the Cuban climate and less dependent on imported inputs. “If we stop insisting on large volumes of rice and ensure other alternatives, we could have rice as well as the others,” he explained.
However, his clarification comes at a time of growing public discontent over shortages and inflation, with prices exceeding 400 pesos per pound of rice in informal markets and an increasingly limited state supply. For many Cubans, the issue isn't the diet itself, but rather the lack of food of any kind on the table.
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