Deformed, crushed, and covered in large dark stains: this is how the bread looks that a bakery in the Cuabitas neighborhood of Santiago de Cuba distributed this Tuesday through the ration book.
The images, published by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, sparked a wave of outrage among the local residents and on social media.
Mayeta joked about the state of the product by referencing the Cuban saying "Save bread for May and bad leaves for your horse," pointing out that although the bread seems like it has been stored for months, it was actually made that very day at a local bakery meant to fulfill the regulated quota.
The testimonies of the residents, shared by the independent journalist, reflect a mix of shame and helplessness. "I am 68 years old and never thought the day would come when we would be given bread that looks like this. There were shortages before, but at least the bread was bread. Today, it’s embarrassing to collect the ration," said an elderly woman from the area.
A retiree from the same neighborhood described the situation harshly: "With the check I receive, I can’t buy another one. I take it because I have no choice, but this lacks quality and respect for the people."
What is particularly revealing is the comparison made by the neighbors themselves: they claim that the bread produced by unofficial vendors—commonly known as merolicos—has better presentation, more consistency, and better flavor than that distributed by the State.
The report highlights, once again, the collapse of a service that the regime has been promoting for decades as a social achievement.
The complaint from Cuabitas is not an isolated incident. In June of this year, La Indiana Bakery in Santiago de Cuba was reported for distributing regulated bread with greenish discoloration due to mold, sour smell, and a decomposed texture.
In July, Guantánamo reported bread that was sour, without fat or salt, and with black spots, and it was confirmed that part of the flour is mixed with cassava, sweet potato, or corn.
Behind the poor quality lies a structural supply crisis. Cuba needs about 20,000 tons monthly of flour to ensure the bread ration, but by June 2026, only one of the six contracted wheat vessels for the entire year had arrived.
In February, bakeries in Holguín returned to using wood-fired ovens due to a lack of electricity and fuel, reaching only about 50% of the population.
The deterioration is also measured in grams and pesos. In September 2024, the regime reduced the weight of subsidized bread from 80 to 60 grams due to a shortage of flour.
Starting July 2, the Cuban Bread Company implemented new price increases in Havana: the 400-gram loaf rose from 240 to 500 Cuban pesos.
In June 2025, according to provincial authorities cited by the official newspaper Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba was receiving between one and two truckloads of flour every two days, an insufficient supply to guarantee bread production.
Reports of deformed and burnt bread in that city date back at least to February 2025, making what happened this Tuesday in Cuabitas another chapter in a crisis that the government shows no willingness to resolve.
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