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The Municipal Assembly of People's Power in Puerto Padre affirmed this Friday that food production is part of the "integral strategy for defense preparation" in that territory of the province of Las Tunas.
However, the brief message on the entity's Facebook page, accompanied by images boasting of supposed agricultural results linked to the country's defense preparation, sparked a wave of criticism from users who questioned the food scarcity on the island.
Numerous comments from citizens interpreted the exhibition as a demonstration of precariousness amid the deep food crisis that burdens the vast majority of the population.
"Doesn't it shame you to have that exhibition demonstrating poverty while the people have nothing in the market?" wrote a user who questioned the gap between the presented image and the daily reality of Cubans.
Other comments expressed disbelief and sarcasm towards what they perceive as an official narrative disconnected from daily life.
"What do you mean by food?" asked Jorge Luis Ríos, who pointed out that in the images there were hardly any vegetables, while basic products like meat or eggs remain unavailable for a large part of the population.
In similar terms, Raynier Tomás stated that before showcasing agricultural achievements, the government should ensure that food is available and affordable for the average citizen.
The criticisms also took on an overtly ironic tone. “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” commented Julio César Isidor Rodríguez, while others labeled the exhibition as a “mockery” or “ridiculousness,” reflecting the growing social unrest over the food crisis.
The publication comes in a context where the Cuban government has insisted on reinforcing the narrative of military preparedness against a supposed external aggression.
The Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío recently stated that the Cuban army “is always prepared” for any potential military aggression, while the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel has insisted that any external aggressor would face an “impenetrable resistance.”
This speech has been reinforced with exercises for National Defense Day in various provinces of the country.
In parallel, the authorities have emphasized the idea that food production is part of the concept of "people's war," revisiting a phrase attributed to Raúl Castro stating that "beans are as important as cannons."
However, these initiatives are taking place amid an increasingly profound food crisis.
Officials from the government itself have acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. In Guantánamo, the provincial government coordinator, Joeny Saimón Mora, recently admitted that the priority is to ensure that "whatever little exists reaches the store," referring to the state distribution system.
His statements reflect a scenario marked by fuel shortages, a decline in imports, and challenges in sustaining the supply system.
In practice, products arrive irregularly, in insufficient quantities, or simply do not appear, while the ration book remains the main distribution mechanism.
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