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The publication by the official outlet Venceremos regarding the supposed strengthening of the basic food basket in the Guantanamo municipality of Imías has triggered a strong wave of reactions on Facebook, where skepticism, indignation, and complaints about the food situation in the area prevail.
According to the official announcement, the municipality is expanding its offerings through local productions and linking up with new economic players. The commercialization of beans and fish has been announced, with prices set at 300 pesos for pregnant women and 400 pesos for other groups, in addition to modules offering processed foods.
However, after the announcement was shared on the Facebook page of the media outlet, numerous users questioned both the accuracy of the announcement and its actual impact.
One of the most repeated criticisms was that what was published does not match what is happening in the warehouses. "Thank goodness, because here in Baracoa only milk for small children arrived; two-year-olds are no longer babies, it's an abuse," wrote one user. Another person stated, "Well, I've been pregnant for 5 months and I haven't received a single gram of milk, rice, or anything. I have a 4-year-old child who hasn’t received milk since the beginning of January, and then."
There were also direct questions about the distribution and who is considered a prioritized population. "And the others don't eat, and many of those labeled as vulnerable won’t be able to afford those products because of their prices," commented someone else. In the same vein, another user asked, "And what about those aged 13 to 65? Are we supposed to just starve?"
The concept of "children" has sparked extensive debate. "Which children? Now only those from 0 to 4 years old are considered children. What about the others? Are they not children?" wrote an internet user. Another comment raised questions about the different age ranges for various products: "Now I wonder, in this country, who qualifies as a child? For some products it's up to 5 years, for others up to 2, and I ask, are they not all children? Don’t they need food, and what about the rest of the population?"
The criticism was not limited to the content but also extended to the image used in the publication. "That photo is more fake than Camilo's disappearance," stated one commentator. Another was more direct: "Hahaha, they can't even take a decent photo. That photo is from Colombia. Keep deceiving people; you are complicit in the downfall, you communist."
Some comments dismissed the argument of the blockade as the central explanation for the shortages. "Every time I hear the word BLOCKADE, I feel something called anger (fire) rising in me," wrote one user. Another was emphatic: "blah blah blah, always deceiving the people."
The lack of connectivity and power outages were also mentioned as part of the context that the population is experiencing. “And they turned off the mail’s generator! To leave us disconnected,” one user reported. Another person noted, “and there’s never coverage anymore.”
Not all reactions were negative. Some defended the initiative. "Very good initiatives," wrote an internet user. Another user expressed, "Wow, that's really good." There were also those who urged caution but showed a willingness to believe: "Good initiative, but please let it be true."
In contrast, several comments summarized the majority sentiment with phrases like "Lies and more lies," "What a great lie, for God's sake," and "brazen."
The official statement assures that Imías has 39 stores serving more than 8,400 consumers, and that new alternatives will be introduced such as dough for croquettes, pastries, and flour derivatives, as well as charcoal and root vegetables per household. However, reactions on social media indicate that a significant portion of the population does not yet perceive these benefits in their daily lives.
The digital debate exposes not only the supply crisis affecting the territory but also the growing public distrust regarding official announcements about the basic goods basket in Cuba.
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