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An image of a school lunch shared on social media has triggered a strong reaction among parents and family members in various provinces of the country. The photograph shows a metal tray with peas, a small portion of ground beef, and a piece of root vegetable, with no rice visible.
The post was published in the group Facebook Memes Abeja Cuba, where the image was shared along with the following text: “Co....stop being such bastards and hand over the country, what you see was the lunch for the children today at school. Even animals wouldn't eat that, suspend classes or, parents, stop sending your children to school and let everything fall apart.”
But beyond the tone of the message, what has significantly increased the reach of the publication has been the number of comments that began to accumulate in just a few hours. Many of these did not simply express opinions, but described similar situations in different areas, broadening the scope of the complaint.
"Ufff, my son eats that almost every day, damn it, and many times it's just plain rice," wrote one person. Another commented: "My little girl has been getting flour for a month now, sometimes with peas, it's all very sad."
From Guanajay, a user noted: "That went well; in Guanajay, they stopped it more than 15 days ago until further notice." In Holguín, another message stated: "They've been giving them corn flour and peas for days, which the children won't eat, and they spend the day without lunch unless their parents bring it to them."
In Sancti Spíritus, it was reported: “In Sancti Spíritus, lunch consists of rice, peas, and fufu.” From Santiago de Cuba, a comment noted: “Here at the semi-internat in Versalles, Carlos García Castillo, they are serving bitter marmalade and semi-raw peas.”
Some parents described the quality of the food: “My son brings lunch because he says the school serves pea soup with rice that is full of sludge,” wrote one mother. Another user expressed: “Even dogs won't eat that, what a lack of respect.”
Additional difficulties were also mentioned. "And now they’ve even taken away their bread," commented one person. Another wrote: "I don't understand the parents here; it's impossible for a parent to send a child to 'learn' knowing these conditions."
Several comments questioned the distribution of aid. "What about the aid donated by Mexico?" asked one user. Another pointed out, "What about the rice from China? All the tons they sent, for God's sake."
The interventions come from different regions, referencing Havana, Holguín, Sancti Spíritus, Santiago de Cuba, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth. "That's true for all of Cuba," wrote one person. Another summed it up: "It's the same in many schools and closed circles due to lack of food."
One day earlier, also on social media, a call for support had been circulated for a children's circle in the Bahía neighborhood, in the Guiteras area of Havana, where, according to the shared message, “the children are only eating rice.”
The coincidence between both publications and the repetition of testimonies from different provinces indicate that this is not an isolated case. The comments describe similar situations in various regions, evidencing that the reported issues go beyond a specific school.
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