A donation of 43 tons of food sent from Mexico has begun to be distributed in the province of Mayabeque, according to institutional sources.
The assistance, according to the Ministry of Domestic Trade of Cuba and the Wholesale Food Company in the area, is intended for "children with low weight and height, pregnant women, and adults over 65 years old."
The citizens' reaction was swift.
On social media, many Cubans are questioning the distribution criteria and are denouncing that large segments of the population, equally affected by scarcity, are excluded from the benefits.
Who is lying, the MINCIN or the news program?
The Ministry of Domestic Trade indicated on Facebook that "the products from the solidarity aid of the government of Mexico are being delivered in Mayabeque, intended for children with low weight and height, pregnant women, and seniors over 65 years old."
Nevertheless, in a report from the state-run Canal Caribe, the general director of the Mayabeque Wholesale Food Company (EMPA), José Antonio Castellanos, further clarified that the donation would include "pregnant women, individuals over 65 years old, children aged 0 to 13 years, and underweight children."
He specified that the shipment includes rice, sardines, sweet biscuits, and cans of peaches, and that the distribution will take place in the 383 retail units across the 11 municipalities of the province.
This discrepancy between the groups mentioned in official publications—restricted to those with low weight and height—and what was stated on television—which included all children aged 0 to 13—caused confusion and frustration.
"But if the information was for all children from 0 to 13 and seniors over 65. Oh no, they've changed it," wrote a resident.
Another user questioned, "What a lack of respect, kids from 0 to 13 don't get it. What happened, did it go to the mipyme?"
"And the others don't eat?"
Criticism focused on the fact that, amidst the deep food crisis, aid does not reach everyone.
"That donation should be for everyone, because we are all in equal need," commented a resident of Havana.
A teacher raised the question: "And what about those who are not underweight children, not pregnant, and not over 65 years old, who are the ones who strive, care for, and support the aforementioned group? Do they not have the right to receive assistance as well?"
Another user summarized the frustration with a straightforward phrase: "I don't understand anything, and the other kids aren't eating. What a lack of respect, it's outrageous what they have."
There were also complaints from other provinces: "And for Camagüey, nothing at all"; "The people of the east, nothing at all, it's not easy"; "I am from the eastern province and I am still waiting for the donation that was promised after the cyclone, which I never saw."
The general perception is that what is announced in official media almost never matches what eventually arrives in the warehouses.
"The situation is already declining. What was reported in the news is one thing, and reality is another," wrote a woman from Havana.
Another added ironically, "What did they think, that everything would be as they say in the news? They're mistaken; a drunk says one thing, and a store owner says something completely different."
A country reliant on donations amid collapse
The arrival of this aid takes place against a backdrop of widespread shortages of food and basic products, with markets lacking supplies and prices in the private sector beyond the reach of a large portion of the population.
The authorities have assured that the donations sent from Mexico will benefit vulnerable groups in the provinces of Artemisa, Havana, and Mayabeque, as well as the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud.
However, it was not explained why the distribution is limited to certain territories.
Mexico confirmed it will maintain humanitarian aid, but will not send oil "for the time being," stated President Claudia Sheinbaum.
This means that, while food supplies arrive, the energy and fuel crisis that keeps the country experiencing blackouts and paralyzed services will continue to worsen the economic situation.
The fact that Cuba relies on external donations to meet basic food needs highlights the structural deterioration of its production system.
After years of inefficiency, poor management, and a lack of sustainable solutions, the country faces a reality in which large sectors of the population can barely meet their daily food needs.
A Cuban expressed it emphatically: "It's increasingly painful to see this country always reliant on aid that solves nothing, because what reaches the needy people is a pittance. Instead of addressing and seeking strategies for the problems that have existed for years, they want to continue depending on the charity of other countries."
Meanwhile, the debate on social media reflects a question that is asked again and again: if hunger and scarcity affect the majority, why is the aid limited to a few groups?
The delivery of the donation, far from easing tensions, has rekindled the feeling of inequality and lack of protection in a country where more and more people feel they are not receiving either the promised support or enough food.
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