The Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, urged the enhancement of local food production and the identification of locations to which elderly individuals would be relocated in the event of "possible contingencies," during an assessment of the economic, social, and defense capabilities of an area in Holguín.
The meeting took place in the Defense Zone of the San Rafael People's Council and was attended by Colonel Luis de la Cruz Medina, head of the Holguín military region, along with key provincial and municipal authorities, reported this Friday by the official newspaper Granma.
"The most certain resources we will have to face the situation are those we are capable of producing," stated Marrero, who also called for accurately identifying the locations where elderly individuals could be relocated and for protecting the vulnerable population.
According to official information, the area includes five populated settlements and has water wells, two aqueducts, and cisterns to ensure supply in exceptional situations. It also features solar panels installed in homes and charcoal production as energy alternatives.
Among the actions mentioned by the authorities are the repair of roads, the opening of 24-hour advanced care clinics, a pharmacy, and the renovation of schools. Marrero also called for progress in food production and the implementation of the 176 Economic and Social Transformations approved in June by the National Assembly of People's Power.
Marrero urged to protect the most vulnerable population and emphasized that "the locations where elderly individuals would be moved must be specified as part of the territory's preparation for any contingency," the source highlighted.
The visit is part of a tour by the head of Government through the central and eastern territories of Cuba, aiming to assess those measures. On Tuesday, he was in Camagüey, where he called for advancing "with objectivity and a firm step". During the week, he also presided over extraordinary sessions of the Provincial Councils in Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba, and in the case of the meeting in Santiago, he demanded the elimination of bureaucratic obstacles.
Calls to increase agricultural production are not new either. In July, Marrero demanded the cultivation of idle land in Arroyo Naranjo, Havana, and stated at that time that "the food issue is crucial."
However, Cuba imports between 70% and 80% of the food it consumes, while domestic production of staple products like rice has decreased from 304,000 tons in 2018 to 111,000 in 2025.
In Holguín, provincial authorities acknowledged in September that 90,148 people, approximately one in every 10 residents were in a state of vulnerability. This figure reflects the social difficulties faced by the region, despite official programs for economic transformation.
In October, Marrero announced a monthly allocation of five pounds of rice, one of sugar, and one of grains for 883,000 people in vulnerable situations as a palliative measure in response to food shortages.
At the conclusion of his speech in San Rafael, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of working "objectively" and stated that the available reserves in each territory will be what "saves lives" in the event of a contingency.
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