The official newspaper Venceremos celebrated the inclusion of the municipality of El Salvador in Guantánamo in the export of charcoal, while many Cubans reacted with outrage due to the lack of electricity and liquefied gas that forces numerous families to rely on this very fuel for cooking.
According to the information published by the provincial media, El Salvador has already sold its first container of coal in the international market.
The export of this product was resumed this year in Guantánamo, and authorities attribute it with a "recognized importance" for generating foreign currency for the producing companies.
The municipality plans to export 60 tons in 2026. Currently, it has enough coal in its warehouses to fill a second container and is working on production for a third. Each would have an approximate capacity of 17.5 tons.
The publication did not specify the destination country of the shipment, how much money the company will receive from the sale, nor which portion of those revenues will be used to benefit the population of the municipality.
The announcement sparked an avalanche of critical comments on Facebook. Numerous users questioned why coal is being exported when blackouts, gas shortages, and issues with the electrical service have made it an essential alternative for cooking.
“Where do the people of Guantanamo cook if they export the charcoal? My goodness,” asked Marla Zafra Pérez.
Roque Fuente summed up the discontent with a question: "Export, how wonderful. And the people?"
Yoreibis Matos also questioned the authorities' order of priorities: "The usual: exporting even when your own people have nothing."
One of the most detailed responses came from Madelin VS, who directly linked the exportation to the hardships families face during prolonged power outages: “How ridiculous you are. While the people suffer from blackouts and have to buy coal for cooking at high prices from private sellers, you talk about exporting to generate foreign currency. And for what? Honestly, you don’t think about the things you publish, which only serve to further infuriate your people.”
Orlenys Collado joked about the possibility that the authorities have secured other sources of energy before selling coal: "I guess they have secured liquefied gas or electricity to be able to sell the only thing you will use to cook. I mean, if you have to cook."
Ibis Lidia Vázquez recalled that many families lack alternatives due to the combination of blackouts and fuel shortages: "Remember that this is the fuel we have, that there is no other. We don't have bright light, we don't have liquefied gas, we don't have electricity, and now they take this away from us, the coal."
On her part, Petunia Royal described the announcement as a lack of respect and denounced the scarcity and high prices of the product in the domestic market: "What do you mean export? How far does this madness go? The people have nothing to cook with, and the sack of charcoal is, first, almost non-existent and, second, priced sky-high. Guantanamo government, respect your people."
Mirian Corombet Fito expressed surprise at the newspaper's decision to present the news as an achievement: "Export? Oh! That news is hard to believe. I have no doubt they will remove the publication at any moment. Common sense."
Angela Pérez accused the authorities of prioritizing exports while the population continues to suffer shortages: “For God's sake, you only think about exports and let the people suffer, who have nothing to cook with.”
In the case of Raudy Fernández, he compared the situation to what happens with other Cuban products aimed at the international market: "The same happens with coffee, cigars, salt, and cocoa, because there's nothing with sugar. Lots of exports and no benefits for the people. In the end, this is a poorly told story."
Zunilda Espinosa Galbán questioned the triumphant tone of the publication while, as she stated, consumers are paying high prices for small amounts of fuel: "They make that publication seem significant while an entire community is buying a can of coal for 500 pesos."
Udeliss Rodríguez Galbán also denounced the prices that families have to face: "It is truly disrespectful. They love exporting, while the people continue to suffer buying coal for 1,600 and more."
However, Wilmara Laffita stated that she has had to pay even more: “Why don’t they export that container of coal to the fair? It’s a shame. And here I am buying the coal for 2,000 pesos and no one sees that.”
Gibert Sadim demanded that internal needs be addressed before sending the product abroad: "First import and then we will see what the people can cook with."
The reaction to the announcement comes amid a national crisis that has turned coal into a basic resource for cooking. Prolonged blackouts and a shortage of liquefied gas have driven up demand and prices, while several provinces are trying to increase or control its distribution.
In Sancti Spíritus, where the price of coal exceeded 4,000 pesos, the provincial government later ordered agricultural companies to integrate into its production.
However, the authorities themselves acknowledged that they could not guarantee a stable supply due to a lack of fuel, transportation, tools, and specialized personnel.
In Camagüey, the authorities set an official price of 1,400 pesos for a 20-kilogram sack, compared to the 3,500 to 4,000 pesos it was reaching in the informal market.
The initial plan was to distribute only 1,700 bags, a quantity that the government itself acknowledged as insufficient given the demand.
Las Tunas faces another side of the same contradiction. Although it has enough marabú to produce between 15,000 and 20,000 tons annually, it had only fulfilled 16% of its coal export plan during the first five months of 2026.
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