A Cuban deputy shook the ordinary session of the National Assembly of People's Power on Wednesday with an unusually blunt speech about the crisis faced by the Cuban people, summarized in an image that has become a symbol of the country's productive collapse: over 100 tons of mango lost without being able to process them, while Cuba imports juice of very poor quality at extremely high prices.
Emilio Interián Rodríguez, president of the CCS "Sabino Pupo Milián" cooperative and representative for the Havana municipality of Arroyo Naranjo, took the floor before the assembly gathered at the Palace of Conventions in Havana to describe, with specific names and locations, the devastation caused by the energy crisis in daily life and agricultural production.
We have completely lost the mango production, over 100 tons of mango, a high-quality mango that we could have exported, that we could have processed, that we could have turned into the best juice in the world, and now everything we consume in Cuba is imported juice of very poor quality at extremely high prices," the deputy lamented.
The phrase that encapsulated the absurdity was straightforward: "We are unable to make a mango juice with all the mangoes we have here that is of good quality."
Interián did not limit himself to agriculture. He described a chain of interconnected collapses: power outages of up to 12 hours a day prevent water from being pumped, leaving entire families without supply for months; without electricity, milking, grinding feed, or performing any tasks on the farm is impossible, leading to weight loss in animals, decreased milk production, and general deterioration of livestock.
"There are families that have told me, 'last night we couldn't eat, my children couldn't eat.' That's tough, Mr. President," the legislator stated, having nearly three decades as a delegate of the Popular Power.
The deputy also reported the systematic theft of transformer oil at the Cotorro supply substation, which has occurred several times over the course of a few months, burning equipment that costs thousands of dollars and leaving communities without water for 10, 15, or 20 days.
The context of the session was the worst energy crisis recorded in Cuba. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, acknowledged to the deputies that there are communities that have gone without electricity for up to 105 days.
Interián described the situation as "the most difficult years a people has experienced anywhere in the world in the 21st century," and concluded his speech with a specific proposal: that senior government officials "sponsor" each thermoelectric plant, and that in every province, support be called upon from MSMEs, entrepreneurs, and producers to provide ideas, financing, and food to the workers in the electricity sector.
"If we need to donate a pig, we will donate a pig; if we need to donate two pigs, or a bull, or a ram, we will help. That's as far as we can go," the deputy offered.
He concluded his intervention with a phrase that encapsulated the gravity of what he described: "I propose this, Mr. President, because of the psychological harm this situation is causing our people."
This is not the first time that Interián has attracted attention within the Cuban parliament.
In December 2025, the deputy had already defended the Mipymes and expressed his "great dream" of returning to the agricultural productivity of pre-revolution times, with unusual phrases in official discourse such as "let's not be afraid that, by working hard, one can make money like in any part of the world."
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