Members of the government recently stated on state television that the international donations received by Cuba are distributed "transparently" and through control mechanisms that ensure they reach the population.
During the government program Mesa Redonda, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Déborah Rivas Saavedra, stated that the country has a “completely organized” policy for managing donations from governments, international organizations, companies, and Cubans residing abroad.
He explained that resources are distributed in accordance with the donor's wishes and the priorities defined for each type of aid.
The official also stated that there are territorial monitoring mechanisms and impact assessments required by those who provide the resources.
Rivas stated that this control system is one of the factors that, according to the government, has allowed Cuba to maintain a significant volume of international cooperation.
On her part, the Minister of Domestic Trade, Betsy Díaz Velázquez, explained that the main tool for distributing donated products is the supply booklet, a mechanism historically used by the State to control consumption on the island.
Velázquez indicated that the deliveries are recorded in that document and that, in specific cases, lists are used to identify prioritized groups such as pregnant women, children, or individuals on medical diets.
According to him, the system also relies on what he called "popular control," through which citizens confirm the receipt of products.
In the same television broadcast, the First Deputy Minister of Public Health, Tania Margarita Cruz, emphasized that some of the donations received include medications, reagents, and medical equipment intended for hospitals and specialized institutes across the country.
He mentioned among the beneficiaries hospitals and specialized institutes such as oncology, neurology, endocrinology, and cardiology, in addition to units dedicated to priority programs like maternal and child care.
The authorities also expressed gratitude for the donations sent by governments, organizations, and international solidarity groups which, they emphasized, help alleviate the economic and energy crisis the island is enduring.
The statements came amid a rising controversy following allegations that part of the international aid sent to Cuba had ended up for sale in state-run shops that operate in dollars.
At the beginning of the month, a report from the Mexican channel TV Azteca showed images of Mexican products, including the so-called "frijol del bienestar," offered in establishments of the TRD Caribe network, linked to the military conglomerate GAESA, which raised questions about the final destination of that aid.
According to the research, those beans were sold for $2.97 per half kilogram or up to $43 for 30-kilogram bags.
The Cuban authorities denied those accusations and assert that donations are distributed freely among the prioritized population.
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