As October unfolds in Cuba, residents brace for the absence of essential items like coffee, cooking oil, beans, and toothpaste. The Guantánamo-based newspaper, Invasor, highlighted this stark reality in its October 9th edition, focusing on the "update to the family rationed basket" amid a "complex landscape" of state-subsidized food distribution.
Despite September being over, many supplies expected to arrive last month remain missing. The state media euphemistically reports that the delivery of two pounds of rice, necessary to meet the planned quota of seven pounds, is "still pending" in the province.
The absence of coffee and oil isn't new; neither were distributed in September. Minister Betsy Díaz Velázquez, without a hint of embarrassment, previously stated that no coffee or oil was scheduled for distribution in September, just as there wasn't in August.
Scarce Supplies Continue
Toothpaste shortages have also persisted. According to a September 16th report from the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN), Havana residents haven't received their toothpaste ration since March. In Guantánamo, each person received two pounds of sugar, 10 ounces of peas, and the quarterly salt allocation for September through November.
Only four of Guantánamo's ten municipalities—Caimanera, Maisí, Baracoa, and Niceto Pérez—have received baby food, 230 grams of ground meat, and five eggs per person per month. The remaining six municipalities are still waiting. Kerosene distribution is even more dire, reaching only 50% of Yateras, with the rest of the province awaiting supplies.
Critical Shortages in Essential Goods
The situation is particularly concerning regarding powdered milk, which is only sufficient for ten days, and bread flour, which lasts just two days. The state-run media concludes with grim news: "According to the policy approved by the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) for the month, there will be no distribution of coffee, oil, beans, and toothpaste."
On September 30th, MINCIN had denied any plans to remove items from the rationed basket on its social media profile. However, Guantánamo's newspaper confirms the absence of these products in October. Despite the ministry's denial, they have evidently been cut from the monthly distribution list.
Government's Economic Decisions and Crisis Response
This restriction hasn't been officially announced by MINCIN on social media but aligns with the Cuban regime's actions amid its liquidity issues. This comes as revenue from key economic sectors, like tourism, declines, with fewer tourists visiting in the first half of this year compared to the last.
Amid the severe economic crisis gripping the island, the Cuban government reduced the size of the basic ration bread in September. Starting from the 13th of that month, the bread weighs 60 grams and costs 75 centavos due to a shortage of flour, according to the Ministry of the Food Industry.
In this precarious context, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel reiterated the notion of "continuity," emphasizing that local governments should be responsible for meeting citizens' basic needs. This stance was voiced during a visit to the Naranjo community in Majibacoa, where he asserted that there was "enough land" to produce local food and urged locals to "tough it out" for self-sufficiency instead of relying on the rationed basket.