The Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel denied this Friday that the State diverts or sells international donations intended for the population and assured that these resources are provided free of charge and with institutional controls.
During a appearance with regime leaders and official media, Díaz-Canel stated that the donations received by the country are distributed in accordance with the purpose established by those who send them.
"The first thing we respect is the donor's purpose for the donation. If donors say, 'I want these notebooks to go to a specific school,' then those notebooks will go to that school. If the donor contributed a solar water pumping system for a community, it will go to that community," he said.
The official explained that when aid does not have a specific destination defined by the donors, the authorities determine its distribution based on the needs identified by the country.
According to their account, the products delivered directly to the population are never charged. “What is given to the population, for example, in food has never been charged. It is provided free of charge and has often been part of what we have distributed in the basket during those months in a specific place, but without charging for it because it is a donation,” they stated.
Díaz-Canel insisted that the State does not derive economic benefits from those aid packages. “In other words, the country does not gain any economic advantage. The advantage is social because it helps us, but the donation does not generate any profit,” he stated.
He also argued that there is an institutional control system overseeing the allocation of resources. “There is a whole system of audits from the prosecutor's office, the comptroller's office, and the internal control systems of the institutions involved to ensure total transparency, complete integrity, and no doubts regarding those donations,” he said.
In his remarks, he questioned the allegations of supposed diversion of aid. "So tell me, what case of donation diversion are we talking about? What case of donation diversion can be discussed in Cuba? Look back through the history of this entire period. What can we talk about? Who can argue a diversion? Who can claim a corrupt attitude regarding a state-level, government-level donation?" he expressed.
The ruler also stated that international organizations and diplomatic representations oversee the distribution of donations. He mentioned that entities such as the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the Red Cross have representatives on the island who visit the locations where the resources are delivered.
The statements come amid a controversy over the fate of humanitarian aid recently sent by Mexico to the island.
A report by the Mexican channel TV Azteca revealed that donated food, including the so-called "bean of welfare," was being sold in state-run stores that operate in dollars. The investigation showed packages of beans offered in establishments linked to the military business system for $2.97 per half kilogram and up to $43 for 30-kilogram sacks.
Cuban authorities rejected those accusations and stated that donations are distributed free of charge through the network of bodegas, prioritizing vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and citizens in vulnerable situations.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Domestic Trade reported that beans donated by Mexico were being distributed in various neighborhoods of Havana through the ration book, with quantities varying according to the number of members in each household.
The fate of international donations sent to Cuba has been a subject of controversy for years. Citizens and activists have repeatedly reported that a portion of the aid meant for the population ends up being sold in state-run markets or distributed under payment schemes, especially after natural disasters.
One of the most cited precedents occurred after Hurricane Irma in 2017. At that time, an official resolution initially authorized the charging of a commercial margin on products received as aid for the affected, which included distribution and transportation costs. The measure was modified a few days later and it was established that these goods should be delivered "at no cost" to the beneficiaries.
The statement from the Cuban leader comes at a time when the fate of international aid is once again under public scrutiny. His remarks, in which he asserted that the donated food "has never been charged," contribute to a recurring discussion on the island regarding how donations arriving in the country are managed and distributed amid the prolonged economic crisis.
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