The Ministry of Domestic Trade (Mincin) announced that, as part of the “recovery efforts after the passage of Hurricane Oscar,” the people of Guantánamo will receive “the two pending pounds of rice corresponding to September, […] seven pounds of rice corresponding to October, and the distribution of two pounds of sugar, oil, peas, and salt, along with fresh products like chicken, will be guaranteed.”

According to a report from the provincial newspaper Venceremos, Yosvany Pupo Otero —the first deputy minister of Mincin— held a meeting with the official press where he emphasized that the main goal is “to ensure the availability of resources and coordinate with municipal Defense Councils to guarantee efficient distribution.”

The reality is that, regardless of how the news is presented, Cuban authorities are framing as an effort what is actually an outstanding debt owed for months to an extremely vulnerable population. A debt that, moreover, will not be fully settled, as they only aim to deliver a reduced portion of the October quota.

For some time, the Cuban regime has been facing difficulties in fulfilling the distribution and sale of rationed products.

However, amid the current emergency situation, authorities have begun quickly distributing some products that they owed to the people of Guantanamo for weeks. During a recent appearance before the National Defense Council, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero reported that they are using products from the “reserve” to cover the needs of the population affected by Hurricane Oscar.

In addition to the pending quotas of rice, sugar, oil, peas, and salt, Mincin will offer 1 kilogram of rice, half a kilogram of peas, and 1 liter of oil per household to —according to them— “additionally ensure the well-being of the population during the recovery phase.”

They also announced the sale of meat products such as sausages and mincemeat, while in the most affected municipalities (San Antonio del Sur, Imias, Baracoa, and Maisi), four cans of sardines per household will be distributed. Other municipalities in Guantanamo will receive two cans of sardines per household, along with a “free” package of pasta (also available to the rest of the territory’s consumers).

The deputy minister of Mincin indicated that the basic food rations in the most affected municipalities will be supplemented with products like bath soap, laundry soap, and detergent “to meet the increasing needs of the population.”

The government’s strategy of subsidizing people rather than products —implemented over a decade ago— cannot be sustained with a ruined economy, especially considering the dire vulnerability of the inhabitants of the easternmost part of the country. Abandoning state paternalism, when the government is unable to ensure the minimal functioning of the country, means leaving people to their fate, bound hand and foot. One need not wait for disaster situations to confirm this.

This article was translated into English from the original in Spanish.