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The World Food Programme (WFP) of the UN launched three artistic competitions in Cuba focused on food security and nutrition, at a time when nearly the entire Cuban population lacks adequate access to food.
The calls, open to residents of all ages, include the creative photography contest "Miradas que alimentan," the adult visual arts competition, and the children's contest "PMA en Acción," dedicated to children and adolescents.
Etienne Labande, representative of the WFP on the island, endorsed the initiative by stating that "these initiatives allow the population to express themselves on essential issues through art, which serves as a channel for dialogue that complements formal education and creates a direct impact on the communities."
The contrast with reality is shocking: a recent survey revealed that one in three Cuban households reported that at least one member went to bed without dinner in 2025, an increase of 9.3 percentage points compared to 2024, according to the Food Monitor Program.
The same organization documented that 96.91% of the Cuban population lacks adequate access to food due to inflation and a decrease in purchasing power, with a minimum wage of 2,100 Cuban pesos —equivalent to about 4.8 dollars— which 94.65% of respondents consider insufficient to cover basic nutrition.
The province of Granma has one of the worst rates: 78.9% of its population faces food insecurity, more than double the national average.
The deaths from malnutrition in Cuba increased by 74% between 2022 and 2023, rising from 43 to 75 fatalities, according to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information of the regime itself.
Meanwhile, the official press of the Communist Party in Granma promoted the consumption of wild seeds as a way to "strengthen food sovereignty," reflecting the regime's responses to the food crisis.
Cuba's national production has collapsed in all basic sectors: pork has fallen by 93.2%, rice by between 59% and 81%, eggs by 43%, and milk by 37.6%, according to official data.
The WFP executed projects worth 57.9 million dollars in Cuba during the 2021-2025 cycle, and in 2024, the Cuban government formally requested assistance from the organization for the supply of powdered milk for children under seven years old, an unprecedented action that confirmed the magnitude of the crisis.
Independent organizations accuse the UN of legitimizing the Cuban regime by promoting cultural initiatives that conceal the systemic failures of the state, while 79.75% of those surveyed by the Food Monitor Program blame "poor state administration" for hunger—an increase of 18 points compared to 2024—and the Cuban Observatory for Human Rights estimates that 89% of the population lives in extreme poverty, with seven out of ten Cubans skipping at least one meal daily.
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