"This has been done throughout the country because the situation is quite critical, but in Havana there is more benefit, in other provinces there is more irregularity."
To be able to buy I have sold things from the house
Mireya Lopez She is 61 years old, lives with her daughter and two minor grandchildren in La Víbora.
Who in your family usually does the shopping at the grocery store?
In my family, my daughter and I mostly buy the winery.
Do you buy other “controlled”, “regulated” or “regulated” products by this system?
Through this system, the regulated products for the basic basket are acquired. The controlled and regulated ones are obtained in the different stores assigned by Popular Councils, after presenting the famous supply book. Here for everything you have to show your supply booklet and identity card because, in addition to not being able to buy in any store, you can't buy when you want either. The
products are regulated by nucleus, 5 kg of chicken must come every 16 days, picadillo and hotdogs 2 units every 8 days, cigarettes 1 wheel every 5 days, oil 2 liters every 16 days or 1 gallon once a month, detergent 1 kg every 15 days and if it is bags of more than 1 kg once a month, etc., but this is different in each region, municipality or area.
Here for everything you have to show your supply book and identity card because, in addition to not being able to buy in any store, you can't buy when you want either.
These products are regulated in theory every that time, but it is not that you take them in that time. For example, I managed to buy oil on July 22 and I didn't buy oil until mid-October because it came and ran out. They have done this throughout the country because the situation is quite critical, but in Havana there is more benefit, in other provinces there is more irregularity.
In the case of these reinforcement products, there is also their replay. In each establishment there are 3 or 4 people, mostly women, identified under the LCC (Fight Against Coleros) program, these people check your notebook, scan your identity card, regulate your access, your turns to buy. But they have their business too, they have friends and contacts whose documents are not scanned and they buy and buy these reinforcement products and then resell them. It's not just them, this is a process that I can tell you about, because the boss of these people is a soldier, from the MININT in each establishment, who is also sometimes corrupt.
What products from the supply book do you consume most frequently? Do you leave any without removing in the month?
What is consumed the most from the notebook is rice, oil, sugar and beans. I do not leave any product untaken because what I do not consume I give away .
How much of your formal income does the monthly purchase of the products in the notebook represent? Do you consider that your ability to acquire them has been affected since the monetary reform?
It represents the full salary my daughter earns and more. We really manage to be able to buy because we do private jobs and because we receive help from family members abroad. Otherwise, we would not be able to buy even the basic basket because we also have to assume household expenses that have also risen in price: electricity, gas, etc.
How many days of the month would you say that the basic products of the notebook are enough for the family?
The products of the notebook hardly reach about 15 days.
Does any member of your family receive a special diet?
No, no one has a special diet.
Do you exchange, buy, resell or give away any of the products assigned to you?
I give away some products that I don't consume, to my mom or to someone who needs them.
Do you think that the family diet could survive without the notebook?
It's just that with the notebook I don't think anyone can live for a month. Generally, you have to be buying expensive products in stores or with resellers [people who are dedicated to the black market, buy in state establishments and resell the merchandise at a higher price for their profit].
If they delivered more released products, do you think you could pay for them with your income and that it would be a positive change or would you prefer more subsidies?
With my income I cannot afford expensive products. To be able to buy what I need I have had to sell things from the house, clothes that are left for the children, etc. plus what my family sends me.
To be able to buy what I need I have had to sell things from the house, clothes that are left for the children, etc.
Do you consider that the products assigned by the supply book condition the way you prepare food?
Not at all.
Have you received any donation or external product at subsidized prices during the Covid19 period for the passbook? Can you describe it, as well as its origin?
During all this time we have received a single free donation with the following products: 4 kg of rice, 1 kg of sugar, 1 kg of beans, 3 kg of spaghetti. Those products were in the month of September. Now in October came 1/2 lb of beans per person only.
Any other observation?
What is clear is that our diet is not the best, not balanced at all, and I can assure you that it is the same with the vast majority of the people. Here we have spent these two very difficult years, I had never seen myself like this, not even in the famous Special Period. My daughter and I spent many days on bread with oil and salt to guarantee protein for the children because we couldn't get anything in the stores. Later we started buying in the black bag but it didn't count, so I decided to go at dawn to mark in the queue to guarantee something and that cost me 2000 pesos fines on 2 occasions without being able to claim anything. The saddest thing is that both times it was in Ayestarán, in the only place in Havana where they sell yogurt every day to guarantee breakfast for my grandson, more than anything because of the problems he has, but they don't care about anything. They fine those who buy for their consumption and nothing happens to resellers
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