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Authorities from the Internal Trade department in Villa Clara have reported that, due to the current energy crisis and fuel shortages, it is only possible to guarantee the daily sale of basic basket bread to children under 13 years old and seniors over 65.
The information was provided on the provincial radio network by the director of the Food Production Company in Villa Clara, Odel Dueñas, who explained that for the time being, “it is only possible to guarantee the daily sale of basic basket bread to children under 13 years old and seniors over 65.”
In the same appearance, the director of Domestic Trade in the central region of the country, Digna Morales, stated that “The warehouses, following an agreement with local governments, have adjusted their hours in response to the current energy crisis, but they will always be open, even late into the night if necessary, to receive and dispatch bread, milk, and basic goods that arrive in our territory.”
Morales added that the situation is complex and depends on logistical factors. “Today we are focusing on distributing the one and a half pounds of sugar per consumer corresponding to January in the municipalities that are still lacking. We are still unsure about what and how much we will receive this month as part of the quota and donations from friendly countries and the World Food Programme, information that we will provide once the products arrive at our warehouses,” he stated.
The official insisted that "this is a very complex matter, as it depends on the arrival of ships and other logistical assurances in an extreme scenario of resource, electricity, and fuel shortages."
He also explained that, to offer a variety of foods in the communities, cooking is done with firewood and charcoal in the production centers, the state gastronomy network, and in the family care system dining rooms. He added that, thanks to a collaboration project with the Spanish community of the Canary Islands, they will receive donations of chicken and beef.
For his part, Dueñas stated: “We don’t know when the Millers’ Union will be able to supply us with the wheat flour we need for the quota of the remaining consumers.”
It was also explained that regarding the units of the Cuban Bread Chain, “each local government decided to regulate sales to consumers through the supply booklet to prevent hoarding and the resale of our products.”
Dueñas added that "We also work under very challenging conditions due to prolonged blackouts. We bake bread using charcoal and cuje ovens, and we prepare and sell caldosas, croquettes, fried foods, sweets, and other food items."
The new restriction on regulated bread in Villa Clara once again highlights the deep deterioration of the state distribution system, unable to guarantee even the most basic food for the entire population. While authorities cite logistical factors and external donations, thousands of families find themselves once more in daily uncertainty, trapped in a structural crisis that continues to worsen and that hits hardest those who rely solely on the ration book.
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