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The ambassador of Cuba in Mexico, Eugenio Martínez Enríquez, has once again criticized the Mexican channel TV Azteca, accusing it of spreading a "distortion" of information following a report that alleged the sale in state-run stores of products sent as humanitarian aid to the island.
Through his profile on the social network X, the diplomat stated that the report is based on insufficient evidence.
"I haven't seen such a significant distortion in a long time like that of @AztecaNoticias. They publish a photo of an alleged store in Cuba, some faceless voices, a Mexican product on a shelf, and claim that it is a donated product that is being sold," he wrote.
The ambassador also questioned the journalistic work of the channel. “Is there any serious journalist at @AztecaNoticias?” he added in the same message.
The investigation by TV Azteca, presented by journalist Rodrigo Lema, recently showcased images of Mexican products, including the so-called "bean of well-being," being sold in TRD Caribe stores, the currency-linked commercial network associated with the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the military conglomerate Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A. (GAESA).
According to the report, those beans are offered at $2.97 for half a kilogram or up to $43 for 30-kilogram bags.
The channel also documented the presence of other Mexican-origin items in those establishments.
The investigation included testimonies from residents who claimed they had not received those products through the state distribution system, despite them being announced as part of the humanitarian aid sent by Mexico.
On March 5, in a lengthy post shared on Facebook, Martínez defended the Cuban government's management and asserted that "the aid is indeed for the people of Cuba," while labeling the version presented by the Mexican media as false.
After the ambassador's criticisms, TV Azteca publicly responded on X, defending its work.
"You do politics; we do journalism. No one told us, no one said: we were there, we documented with cameras what people experience," the outlet stated.
The controversy arises after Mexico sent several shipments of humanitarian aid to Cuba in February, which included food primarily intended for children, pregnant women, the elderly, and vulnerable individuals.
Amid the debate, Cuba's Ministry of Domestic Trade (Mincin) stated that donations cannot be sold.
The general director of Merchandise Sales of the organization, Marpessa Portal Devilliers, stated on state television that these resources have a defined destination and that there are controls "up to the final consumer".
However, the report from TV Azteca claims that some of those products have ended up in stores that sell in foreign currency, which has fueled the debate both inside and outside the island regarding the actual fate of humanitarian aid.
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