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Visitamos familias en las 15 provincias de Cuba para conocer sus formas de vida en torno a la alimentación y recogimos fotos para comparar las experiencias con la comida con el fin de evidenciar que el hambre no se ha erradicado y hay profundas desigualdades en el acceso a la alimentación. INGRESO Las categorías de ingresos representadas corresponden a la renta global por familia. Las fotos fueron tomadas entre finales del primer semestre e inicios de la segunda mitad de 2023, por lo que nos ajustamos a una tasa de cambio promedio durante este período de tiempo de 1 dólar=200 CUP. Esta tasa corresponde a la existente en el mercado negro, ya que es el espacio más habitual para adquirir los productos básicos en Cuba. A pesar de que la tasa oficial de cambio del dólar equivale a 120 CUP=1 USD, la falta de divisas y las limitaciones de venta en los bancos autorizados para ello, junto con la inflación galopante que sufre el país, entre otros factores, han duplicado en cerca de un año el valor del dólar en el mercado negro. Como consecuencia, el poder adquisitivo de muchas familias se ha visto reducido a la mitad. FAMILIAS El ingreso determina la manera como viven cada una de las familias, los electrodomésticos que posee, los muebles de los que dispone y los alimentos que puede llevar a casa. La relación con la comida pasa por la relación con el dinero y el acceso a divisas. CATEGORÍAS El agua con la que se preparan los alimentos, los electrodomésticos que se usan, los espacios en los que se comparte, los objetos que se usan, los platos que se preparan y los implementos de aseo, permiten distinguir la relación que tienen las familias con la alimentación

Mapa de hambre que muestra la verdadera inseguridad alimentaria de Cuba Mapa de HAMBRE monitoreamos la inseguridad alimentaria en CUBA 2022 2023 2024 Ver VIDEO

A paperless event to “celebrate” For: Serge Angel January 11, 2022 00:00 / 04:27 (Mincin) on December 18, it was announced that, as a result of the delays in the importation of the raw material for the preparation of the supply books for the year 2022, the available lines of the month of January and February of the notebooks of the year 2021. And although the announcement is for the population of the western and central provinces, it is eloquent in the face of what the year 2022 will be in terms of supply; something paradoxical if one takes into account that next March 12 marks the 60th anniversary of the enactment of Law 1015 of 1962, which gave rise to the creation of the "Supply Control Book" . It is difficult to speak of a celebration when in reality what is commemorated is not the supply of the population, but its control, that is, the exact moment in which, through a provision of the Council of Ministers, the National Board for the Distribution of of Food and this, making use of its powers, established the first food regulation measures for Cubans, sentencing what would be the following years of rationing. Under the euphemism of "year of planning" (year 1962) -and the fact is that the regime lives on euphemisms that are in no way compatible with reality- the National Board for the distribution of food announced at its first meeting on March 13 of 1962, what would be the rationed products and what would be the procedure for the acquisition of these through the passbook. What began as a measure to "improve the distribution of supplies" ended up becoming a state policy that through food controls the population in the most intimate. The regime got into each of the homes and abruptly came to control what each family could eat and the products with which they could clean themselves. In the blink of an eye, the board's provisions established measures for the entire country, for 26 cities and for Greater Havana (see image 1. Distribution of rationed items). It was not a minor justified decision in the shortage of those who could buy compared to those who were marginalized, it was a deliberate measure to register each person residing on the island through a person who would act as "head of the family" and who would register all the members of the family nucleus so that the paterfamilias "Revolutionary State" could "guarantee supply." In reality, there was no profit, what there was was a tremendous loss, not only had the freedom to buy been lost -of those who could and those who couldn't-, but also lost the freedom of not being controlled by an ideological apparatus such as the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). Surveillance body that from that moment acquired teeth and increased its ability to watch the neighbors, both those committed to the Revolution, as well as those "confused" or counterrevolutionaries (see image 2. How to obtain the notebook). The lack of paper for the preparation of notebooks is nothing more than a metaphor for the control to which the people are subjected. Without many alternatives, families will have to write down in the months of January and February 2021 what they will consume at the beginning of the year, hoping that The Mincin keeps its word and on January 30 delivers the 2022 notebooks so that everything returns to the "abnormality" in which it has lived since 1962. AND AND n a note published by the Ministry of Domestic Trade Image 1. Distribution of items rationed by the Food Distribution Board Taken from Bohemia, March 16, 1962 Image 2. How to get the notebook Taken from Bohemia, March 16, 1962 Read all of Sergio Angel's columns on the Food Monitor Program HERE

Ante la compleja situación alimentaria y sociopolítica que atraviesa el país, a nivel local se han implementado una serie de medidas de carácter especial, que comprenden la micro asignación de recursos como mecanismo de control y contención del descontento social... The abundance of scarcity For: German Quintero January 04, 2022 precariousness for the Cuban population. For December 31 of last year, the government distributed rum and cigarettes to the entire population, assuming that rum and cigarettes would alleviate the situation of discontent. The government did not take into account that an important part of the population, not only children and pregnant mothers, does not consume rum or cigarettes, either because they are not part of their consumption habits, or simply because the products are of poor quality. . These state courtesies, obtained in the warehouse through the Booklet, were resold at more than five times the value established by the regime. Last week, independent media denounced the fines imposed on citizens who wanted to resell products that they did not consume in order to complement a fragile basic basket, lacking eggs and milk, but full of cigarettes and poor quality rum. The year 2021 will be remembered as one of the most difficult for Cuban citizens in terms of consumption, after the Special Period. Tourism income and remittances were strongly affected by the tightening of some of the embargo measures, of the health measures to mitigate the pandemic and, above all, by the spectacular failure of the regime's administrative management, which since the implementation of the Ordering Task at the beginning of that year, where in addition to not promoting domestic production, unifying the Cuban peso with the CUC, promoting the MLC and ignoring the situation of the international market, it was unable to meet the import quota and implemented sufficient measures to maintain or increase internal production. Cuba's economic crisis and the scarcity of goods is largely due to this implementation, which also had the misfortune of coinciding with the rise in international prices of consumer goods and a spiral of prices that shot up and moved away out of reach many foods that were obtained in foreign currency. For the sample, a button: the levels of fishing -affirmed government officials- would not return to those of three decades ago . The fishing laws of 1996 and the most recent of 2020 still do not have the necessary tools to be able to bring fish to the tables of Cubans. How is it possible that on an island, which has not only the sea but also important river sources, it is not easy to procure fish? How is it explained that there is an overexploitation of fishing resources on the island, but there is a shortage of this food? According to official sources, the annual per capita consumption of fish was 16 kg; today it barely reaches 3.8 kg. In short, following official data, each person in Cuba eats about 300 grams of fish per month. This year's forecast is no better than 2021: Going into 2022, essential foods continue to be in short supply and the prices of inputs such as beef, pork, rice, milk, butter and beans are rising. The concern among the population is widespread: some people seek solutions through the rituals of "feeding the land" of the Santeros, while others prepare social mobilizations that echo the cries of "we are hungry" and "freedom" of the 11J demonstrations. Added to this is the massive migration of many of the political dissidents who have been forced to leave the country due to the pressures to which the political regime has subjected them. The panorama of economic crisis in Cuba and the consequent food crisis will be one of the greatest challenges to be faced for this year. The 13% drop in the Gross Domestic Product during 2020 and 2021, as well as the reduction in tourism issues, will be important burdens that will make a dent in the food supply. For now, ordinary Cubans will continue to have to trade rum and cigarettes for basic necessities. AND AND he year 2021 has ended with a situation of extreme 1/2 The article only came to make "official" a reality that  was already evident at the popular level, months ago self-employed workers have had difficulty accessing the purchase of wheat flour, for what bread and other derivatives  have become luxury products.  One of the main issues aired in street debates is the difficulty of mothers to provide their children  at least two loaves a day, one at breakfast  and another at snack time, an equation that is complicated for those who have more than one child at school age.  These  families, who usually supplemented the scarce supply of standardized bread, with what they could purchase through the network of state or private bakeries, have been limited  by the price increase. Today a bag of eight or ten loaves oscillates  between 180 and 350 cups without the supply remaining stable. Although the price in state bakeries is lower, the stability of the product is subject to scheduled power cuts and the supply of flour. In addition, the lines to buy this product   can reach up to five hours, an unthinkable time for people who have to comply with work hours. Teresa is an 80-year-old retiree, lives alone and ensures that her diet basically consists of bread and milk, two products that are currently difficult to access. Until recently, he bought bread at the bakery near his home, but  according to him, the queues have become  unbearable and some end up with the intervention of the police due to to violent fights. On some occasions, he waited for the resellers and bought the same bread for a slightly higher price, still affordable to his checkbook, however, with the shortages of the last few days and the inspectors' stalking, the price has skyrocketed and now he barely survives with the bread from the cellar. 1/1 One loaf a day was the minimum food that low-income people on the island could aspire to. It was also the rationality to which each member of the family nucleus “had the right”, which is popularly “played by the winery”. Since the monetary rearrangement policy, regulated bread ceased to be a product subsidized by the State and its price increased ten times, without this implying an improvement in quality. This condition has placed a wide range of population in greater vulnerability, increasingly deprived of economic resources. According to figures  revealed in the 2021 Statistical Yearbook, published  by the National Statistics Office  the number of beneficiaries and information (ONEI) of social assistance shot up in 2021 by 111% [two] , which means that more Cubans have joined the list of extreme poverty and completely depend on the State to survive.  This can be verified  when walking the streets of Havana , where the number of people begging in the doorways or "diving" in the garbage tanks in search of food and other necessary supplies is increasing. 1/2 The repeated power cuts that occur throughout the country show other damage caused by this energy crisis. Some time ago, the quality of the food that arrives at state outlets, smaller than normal, acidic or simply  absent, has further diminished. Although the issue is not new, the fuel crisis also affects the transfer to the points of sale, an action that is often carried out without the minimum hygienic-sanitary conditions, so the bread is transferred and stored in dirty spaces, exposed to insects. and humidity.    Contrasted with all this is the existence of a functional market that gains more space in the lives of those with relatives abroad. In online mode and offering a wide range of products that are scarce in the rest of the freely convertible currency (MLC) stores or in the almost extinct stores in Cuban pesos (CUP), there are hypermarkets such asSupermarket23 eitherMallHavana , where they offer a way to acquire quality bread, in the variety that the customer wants and without quantity limitations. Accessing these products on a regular basis is unthinkable for ordinary Cubans, however some self-employed workers, owners of paladares, restaurants or rental houses report that on occasions they have been forced to access this market in search of bread. as the only alternative to scarcity and to avoid having to close their businesses permanently. 1/3 Asímismo, no tardaron en llenarse las tiendas en moneda convertible de electrodométicos de mejores calidades pero a precios que burlaban las escalas salariales gubernamentales. Este proceso marcó otro peldaño en la disposición diferenciada de los recursos. Dificultando el acceso a la infraestructura mínima necesaria para la adecuada cocción y mantención de los alimentos, se generaba otra situación de desigualdad pendiente a solución en la actualidad. 1/2 Esta crisis, extendida durante 20 años es hoy más fuerte y radical. Las familias que resultaron afectadas por “la revolución energética” y no lograron reunir las divisas para adquirir la contraoferta de las tiendas en monedas convertibles, hoy están más lejos de alcanzarlas. La crisis generalizada que afecta especialmente a la moneda, la estabilidad energética y la producción de alimentos, radicalizan el panorama que se buscaba solucionar con el plan de ahorros del 2005. Mientras, en las tiendas en MLC no faltan los más variados electrodomésticos de cocción, refrigeradores y neveras, cocinas de gas e implementos de cocina; las ofertas en pesos cubanos para satisfacer las necesidades de la población limitada a su salario, son inexistentes. Solo el mercado de producción artesanal presenta una oferta que igualmente es cara y de poca calidad, pero resulta ser la única opción disponible para la población media. El reciclaje de utensilios familiares, el remiendo de los electrodomésticos dañados y la inventiva, ha sido la única opción que ha quedado a las familias cubanas para mantener una condiciones mínimas para la cocción y mantención de sus alimentos, pero ya siempre condicionados por el ineficiente sistemas energético nacional. Read all of German Quintero's columns on the Food Monitor Program HERE

Food Monitor Program realizó entrevistas semi-estructuradas para obtener información sobre las experiencias alimentarias de ciudadanos cubanos. CONVERSACIONES Expertos Sociedad Civil

Nota de PRENSA Nota de prensa N° 2- Food Monitor Program Nota de prensa – Richmeat Cierra su fábrica de picadillo en la región de Mariel 25 de marzo de 2023 English Version Versión en español Interviews La Zona Especial de Desarrollo Mariel, en Cuba, ha estado en el centro de la atención debido a las dificultades que enfrentan varias empresas extranjeras que invirtieron en la zona, según lo informan Diario de Cuba, Cubacute, Directorio Cubano y Periódico Cubano. Según estos informes de fuentes independientes, la empresa mexicana Richmeat de México, S.A. ha suspendido la producción del producto "Picadillo Mixto Condimentado" y “Picadillo de res” en su fábrica en Mariel, debido a que el régimen cubano ha incumplido con los pagos. Esta situación deja a toda la planta de trabajadores en situación de desempleo; el 90% de estos son nacionales cubanos. La incertidumbre surgida a raíz del cese de producción de estos dos alimentos no solo afecta a los trabajadores, sino a las familias cubanas que ahora no contarán con una producción estimada en 7000 toneladas de productos embutidos, según informa Periódico Cubano . Estos embutidos, conocidos como “tubos de picadillo” eran, por su versatilidad y precio “la salvación” de muchas familias cubanas, que compensaban las deficiencias alimentarias por medio de su consumo, informa Directorio Cubano . Este es un ejemplo más de la falta de transparencia y confiabilidad del régimen cubano, lo que ha llevado a varios inversores a perder sus emprendimientos, agravando la delicada situación de seguridad alimentaria en la región del Mariel. Las autoridades cubanas aún no han emitido una declaración oficial sobre la suspensión de la producción de Richmeat S.A. y la situación financiera de la empresa. La comunidad internacional sigue de cerca la situación en la Zona Especial de Desarrollo Mariel. Esta situación afecta negativamente la disponibilidad de alimentos producidos en la zona y con los que se abastecen los hogares cubanos; también genera inseguridad para los trabajadores actualmente “interruptos” sin seguridad de empleo. Food Monitor Program denuncia la tendencia al impago del gobierno cubano, el desinterés gubernamental que agrava la situación de desabastecimiento y cuyos principales afectados son los cubanos que ven profundizada su dependencia a productos cada vez más escasos. La inflación y la escasez que aqueja el país continúan ampliándose mientras los cubanos tienen cada vez menos acceso a alimentos ya siquiera nutritivos, sino percederos, que puedan saciar el hambre o camuflar la grave inseguridad alimentaria presente en la isla.

Ante la falta de datos confiables sobre el hambre en Cuba y la poca objetividad de los medios oficiales, Food Monitor Program selecciona alimentos básicos en la dieta cubana para analizar su comportamiento en el mercado, su calidad y frecuencia en la distribución, en diferentes provincias del país. EL PRECIO DE COMER EN CUBA Food Monitor Program registra el comportamiento de alimentos básicos y sus formas de adquisición a lo largo de la Isla. En los últimos dos años el agravamiento en el acceso a los alimentos, la inflación monetaria y la especulación sobre productos de primera necesidad se han profundizado. Ante la falta de datos confiables sobre el hambre en Cuba y la poca objetividad de los medios oficiales, Food Monitor Program selecciona alimentos básicos en la dieta cubana para analizar su comportamiento en el mercado, su calidad y frecuencia en la distribución, en diferentes provincias del país. * Los precios corresponden al periodo mayo-junio 2023 , mientras el cambio informal se encontraba en 1 dólar = 210 CUP La leche es uno de esos alimentos que siempre ha estado bajo la tutela paternalista del Estado en Cuba. Priorizada para enfermos, ancianos y niños, ha sido objeto durante años de subsidio. Sin embargo, el impago del gobierno ha afectado la capacidad de garantizar la canasta báscia y de este modo la escasez de leche ha alcanzado un punto crítico llevando a las autoridades a recortar de las dietas este producto dejando a muchos cubanos en mayor condiciones de vulnerabilidad. Sin embargo, diferentes presentaciones de leche concentrada en polvo han emigrado a mercados en divisas y plataformas online evidenciando el desinterés político hacia los más necesitados. Similar a la carne de cerdo, los frijoles son una fuente de proteínas y carbohidratos muy presentes en la dieta cubana. Platos como el congrí, el arroz moro, o el potaje no han faltado en la mesa de los cubanos. La escalada sostenida de los precios de la legumbre, indispensable dentro de la tradición culinaria caribeña, ha obligado a muchos hogares a prescindir de este alimento. Actualmente las familias cubanas no pueden permitirse comprar los granos que entran mayormente importados al país dada la inflación y la pérdida de nivel adquisitivo. Históricamente, la carne de cerdo ha representado el alimento de las celebraciones de los campos cubanos . El lechón asado, preparado en cualquiera de las múltiples variantes regionales de la Isla es una tradición culinaria que ha pasado de generación en generación y plato principal en festejos de Año Nuevo. La falta de producción nacional provocada por la crisis y por el férreo control del Estado sobre las estructuras productivas, así como la suspensión de pienso importado ha derrumbado la producción porcina. El acceso a la carne de cerdo se ha hecho tan escabroso que muchas familias improvisan con sustitutos en las fechas señaladas, lo que marca una deconstrucción de la identidad culinaria cubana. El café no solo es un producto alimenticio para la sociedad cubana, es sobre todo, una marca de identidad que ha acompañado históricamente diferentes prácticas socioculturales. El café es el principal ingrediente en el desayuno y tradicionalmente fue un producto de fácil acceso para los menos favorecidos. La pésima gestión de los recursos agrícolas ha llevado a la producción del café a mínimos desconocidos por la población. Las demoras en la venta del producto dentro de la canasta básica rompen record de retraso, llegando a cuatro meses y más. Como forma de sobrevivencia los cubanos han comenzado a sustituirlo por infusiones caseras. Después del huevo, el pollo es la segunda fuente de proteína más “frecuente” en la mesa familiar, lo que lo convierte en un alimento indispensable en la dieta de la población local, al menos desde que la carne de cerdo ha desaparecido paulatinamente. El mercado negro ha asumido una mayor cuota de la demanda. El alza de los precios, sumado al progresivo proceso de devaluación del peso cubano, ha repercutido negativamente en los núcleos familiares con menor poder adquisitivo, los cuales han tenido que sustituir el producto por fuentes protéicas de menor calidad y densidad calórica. El huevo es tal vez la fuente de proteína más utilizada en Cuba por su versatilidad, precio y disponibilidad ; sin embargo en estos momentos resulta un alimento al que la mayoría de los cubanos no puede acceder. El huevo ha sustituido históricamente en Cuba a la carne de cerdo, el pollo, la carne de res o el pescado, ya que su obtención en la red de distribución estatal era relativamente fácil hasta hace algunos años. Quien no podía pagar el precio de las carnes o embutidos, lo utilizaba como alimento sustituto , a veces muy a pesar del gusto personal. En estos momentos el huevo se ha vuelto tan escaso e inaccesible como la carne de cerdo o el pescado. Mientras, las producciones locales son insuficientes y los sistemas de distribución no pueden cubrir la demanda ni siquiera para la alimentación semanal, que es como el cubano corriente planifica su ciclo de consumo familiar, el cual se ha visto drásticamente deprimido en los primeros meses del 2023. El arroz es el cereal que más se consume en Cuba. Forma parte de la dieta cotidiana del cubano que diseña dos veces al día sus comidas en base a la disponibilidad de este alimento. Arroz blanco, arroz congris, moros y cristianos, arroz amarillo, arroz con leche, arroz imperial, arroz frito, caldos de arroz y paellas entre otros platillos, son las formas de cocción más comunes del grano en el país desde tiempos inmemoriales, variando según la capacidad de acceso de cada familia. Desde el 2023 el déficit de arroz provoca serios problemas de nutrición en la población, sobre todo entre los cubanos de menor poder adquisitivo, quienes han tenido que sustituir el grano por alimentos menos demandados o recomendados. En la siguiente diapositiva se constata los fallos del oficialista Programa Integral del Arroz , del Ministerio de la Agricultura, no alcanza de lejos los niveles estipulados de producción y distribución. La escases de aceites y grasas en la cocina cubana se ha vuelto crónica desde hace algunos años. El mercado negro del aceite ha florecido en medio de la crisis de alimentos trayendo consigo una larga cadena de ilegalidades, corrupción administrativa y desvíos de recursos. Siendo el aceite de girasol el más empleado por la población para la elaboración de platos de la dieta tradicional, su ausencia en la cadena de suministros genera un hueco total de otros aceites vegetales y mantecas de origen animal, productos inaccesibles a la mayoría de los consumidores por motivos de precio y disponibilidad. El pan es el producto principal y necesario no solamente en el desayuno cubano, sino en las meriendas escolares y, en los últimos meses, como sustituto a la ausencia reiterada de arroz, para almuerzos o cenas. El abasto de pan normado se encuentra profundamente inestable en el país y los problemas de corrupción asociados a la cadena de suministros en general se han profundizado. Se muestra un progresivo deterioro de la industria panadera local que se inscribe en la crisis sistémica que vive el país. Actualmente, por la escasez de harina de trigo, no existe alternativa que pueda sustituir el consumo de pan en los hogares cubanos. El gobierno ha introducido de forma variable la harina de maíz, de calabaza y de boniato para la elaboración de este producto sin buena recepción por parte de la población.

, la producción alimentaria en Cuba continuaba siendo ineficiente para cubrir el grueso de la población, y que si bien en la última década The abundance of scarcity For: German Quintero January 04, 2022 precariousness for the Cuban population. For December 31 of last year, the government distributed rum and cigarettes to the entire population, assuming that rum and cigarettes would alleviate the situation of discontent. The government did not take into account that an important part of the population, not only children and pregnant mothers, does not consume rum or cigarettes, either because they are not part of their consumption habits, or simply because the products are of poor quality. . These state courtesies, obtained in the warehouse through the Booklet, were resold at more than five times the value established by the regime. Last week, independent media denounced the fines imposed on citizens who wanted to resell products that they did not consume in order to complement a fragile basic basket, lacking eggs and milk, but full of cigarettes and poor quality rum. The year 2021 will be remembered as one of the most difficult for Cuban citizens in terms of consumption, after the Special Period. Tourism income and remittances were strongly affected by the tightening of some of the embargo measures, of the health measures to mitigate the pandemic and, above all, by the spectacular failure of the regime's administrative management, which since the implementation of the Ordering Task at the beginning of that year, where in addition to not promoting domestic production, unifying the Cuban peso with the CUC, promoting the MLC and ignoring the situation of the international market, it was unable to meet the import quota and implemented sufficient measures to maintain or increase internal production. Cuba's economic crisis and the scarcity of goods is largely due to this implementation, which also had the misfortune of coinciding with the rise in international prices of consumer goods and a spiral of prices that shot up and moved away out of reach many foods that were obtained in foreign currency. For the sample, a button: the levels of fishing -affirmed government officials- would not return to those of three decades ago . The fishing laws of 1996 and the most recent of 2020 still do not have the necessary tools to be able to bring fish to the tables of Cubans. How is it possible that on an island, which has not only the sea but also important river sources, it is not easy to procure fish? How is it explained that there is an overexploitation of fishing resources on the island, but there is a shortage of this food? According to official sources, the annual per capita consumption of fish was 16 kg; today it barely reaches 3.8 kg. In short, following official data, each person in Cuba eats about 300 grams of fish per month. This year's forecast is no better than 2021: Going into 2022, essential foods continue to be in short supply and the prices of inputs such as beef, pork, rice, milk, butter and beans are rising. The concern among the population is widespread: some people seek solutions through the rituals of "feeding the land" of the Santeros, while others prepare social mobilizations that echo the cries of "we are hungry" and "freedom" of the 11J demonstrations. Added to this is the massive migration of many of the political dissidents who have been forced to leave the country due to the pressures to which the political regime has subjected them. The panorama of economic crisis in Cuba and the consequent food crisis will be one of the greatest challenges to be faced for this year. The 13% drop in the Gross Domestic Product during 2020 and 2021, as well as the reduction in tourism issues, will be important burdens that will make a dent in the food supply. For now, ordinary Cubans will continue to have to trade rum and cigarettes for basic necessities. AND AND he year 2021 has ended with a situation of extreme 1/1 The article only came to make "official" a reality that  was already evident at the popular level, months ago self-employed workers have had difficulty accessing the purchase of wheat flour, for what bread and other derivatives  have become luxury products.  One of the main issues aired in street debates is the difficulty of mothers to provide their children  at least two loaves a day, one at breakfast  and another at snack time, an equation that is complicated for those who have more than one child at school age.  These  families, who usually supplemented the scarce supply of standardized bread, with what they could purchase through the network of state or private bakeries, have been limited  by the price increase. Today a bag of eight or ten loaves oscillates  between 180 and 350 cups without the supply remaining stable. Although the price in state bakeries is lower, the stability of the product is subject to scheduled power cuts and the supply of flour. In addition, the lines to buy this product   can reach up to five hours, an unthinkable time for people who have to comply with work hours. Teresa is an 80-year-old retiree, lives alone and ensures that her diet basically consists of bread and milk, two products that are currently difficult to access. Until recently, he bought bread at the bakery near his home, but  according to him, the queues have become  unbearable and some end up with the intervention of the police due to to violent fights. On some occasions, he waited for the resellers and bought the same bread for a slightly higher price, still affordable to his checkbook, however, with the shortages of the last few days and the inspectors' stalking, the price has skyrocketed and now he barely survives with the bread from the cellar. 1/1 One loaf a day was the minimum food that low-income people on the island could aspire to. It was also the rationality to which each member of the family nucleus “had the right”, which is popularly “played by the winery”. Since the monetary rearrangement policy, regulated bread ceased to be a product subsidized by the State and its price increased ten times, without this implying an improvement in quality. This condition has placed a wide range of population in greater vulnerability, increasingly deprived of economic resources. According to figures  revealed in the 2021 Statistical Yearbook, published  by the National Statistics Office  the number of beneficiaries and information (ONEI) of social assistance shot up in 2021 by 111% [two] , which means that more Cubans have joined the list of extreme poverty and completely depend on the State to survive.  This can be verified  when walking the streets of Havana , where the number of people begging in the doorways or "diving" in the garbage tanks in search of food and other necessary supplies is increasing. 1/1 The repeated power cuts that occur throughout the country show other damage caused by this energy crisis. Some time ago, the quality of the food that arrives at state outlets, smaller than normal, acidic or simply  absent, has further diminished. Although the issue is not new, the fuel crisis also affects the transfer to the points of sale, an action that is often carried out without the minimum hygienic-sanitary conditions, so the bread is transferred and stored in dirty spaces, exposed to insects. and humidity.    Contrasted with all this is the existence of a functional market that gains more space in the lives of those with relatives abroad. In online mode and offering a wide range of products that are scarce in the rest of the freely convertible currency (MLC) stores or in the almost extinct stores in Cuban pesos (CUP), there are hypermarkets such asSupermarket23 eitherMallHavana , where they offer a way to acquire quality bread, in the variety that the customer wants and without quantity limitations. Accessing these products on a regular basis is unthinkable for ordinary Cubans, however some self-employed workers, owners of paladares, restaurants or rental houses report that on occasions they have been forced to access this market in search of bread. as the only alternative to scarcity and to avoid having to close their businesses permanently. 1/1 Read all of German Quintero's columns on the Food Monitor Program HERE

In my case, I am always prepared to stand in line, because there is what there is, but it is not enough for everyone. I'm always prepared to stand in line Francisco Verano, fifty-four years old, lives with his wife and nephew in Havana, is a self-employed worker (without a license), part of his family resides in Miami. Approximately how much do you spend in a month to guarantee your family's diet? How much of your income does it represent? They would represent 90% of my income, which is not stable, perhaps 15,000 pesos, which is far from guaranteeing the diet, because I also share it with my father, who does not live at home, so I would say 90%. How do you access food and in what percentage? (grocery markets, organic farms and fairs, black market, shipment of combos from abroad, purchase in MLC stores, labor incentives, others) Sometimes I receive combos by sending, they are varied and resolve, although of questionable quality. Very expensive, yes, they do not go below 160 dollars and they are not enough for the month. I constantly visit the state and private agro-markets, those are expensive, but they solve a lot. I visit private individuals more than the state ones, the latter are quite short of supplies, all with prices above the minimum wage, which is about 2,000 Cuban pesos a month. The black market before COVID-19 was the main way to acquire everything, now it is avoided to the point of hunger and need because it is extremely expensive. It has become the last option for many, I search the black market every month for 20%. I visit the stores in MLC a couple of times a month with anguish, they are very expensive and they are out of stock of the essentials. Still, you find them crowded, it's misleading because the basics are scarce, but you find Chinese sauce, mashed tomato, mayonnaise, snack paste. They make you believe that you have a choice, but you don't. In the end you sacrifice yourself to minimize yourself with what there is and not with and not with what you want, that's where half of my expenses go because you buy minced beef, some cans of pressed meat, all of that with prices that are extremely expensive, I say they are punishing prices. Finally, I do not receive work incentives because I am, as I told you, a self-employed worker. The black market before COVID-19 was the main way to acquire everything, now it is avoided to the point of hunger and need because it is extremely expensive Due to the shortage during COVID, there are some stores that were formerly establishments in CUC, which today have become in national currency (MN), there the State assigns you some essential products that could be used if they were not restricted, I'm talking about chicken, sausages and normado mincemeat. They give it in a very controlled way using the supply book and in insufficient quantities. Now you can visit those stores to purchase them once a month. They started weekly, they continued fortnightly and now it is once a month, the sacrifice to access the products due to the queues is sub-real, but with the purchases in those stores the majority subsists, in my case it is 15% of my expenses . How many hours do you spend searching for and buying these foods? The search and purchase of food is the main task of any Cuban, from those who have the least to those who have the most. In my case, I am always prepared to stand in line, because there is what there is, but it is not enough for everyone. Almost every day I do something related to the search for food, I am not always successful, when I go to the stores in national currency it is almost all day, just like those in freely convertible currency (MLC). In the agro-markets you invest less time, but you still spend a couple of hours in them. Do you use social networks to find out about supplies and prices in your area, for example, via Facebook or Telegram or WhatsApp groups? No, I do not use networks for this purpose. If you had to divide your diet, how would you describe your intake of animal protein, vegetable protein, carbohydrates? For example, how many times a week do you eat fish, red meat, white meat, dairy products, eggs, vegetables? Almost always chicken from regulated stores, you stretch it and it's like a rubber band, you eat it almost every day. I eat so little fish that I can almost say never. Red meat almost the same, last month I bought two tubes of ground beef, very good quality, in MLC, very expensive, two meals for three people per tube. That is the beef I have eaten in the last two or three months. I have access to eggs because 10 per person come to the cellar monthly. About milk, milk is not sold here, only medical diets, which have already been removed until further notice, and pregnant women and children under seven years of age have a milk allowance. I drink milk when I can buy it outside and it is very, very expensive. The vegetables, you find them in the particular agritos [small private agro-market stalls] and they are priceless. Onion, garlic and tomato are only available to big pockets. Perhaps what I buy the most is cucumber, avocado… there are no other types of vegetables. Do you consider that your family has enough intake of healthy food for its normal development? No, not at all, we are eating what we can, when we can, carbohydrates and sugar are what keep us going. Do you consider that in your family there are diseases related to the lack of nutrients or an unhealthy diet? We are a very strong race, even bread with rubble nourishes us, so if we are sick with a shortage of nutrients, which is almost total, we don't even notice it. Do you consider that, when shopping, you must decide between one basic food or another? Do you think you are buying food at a fair price? The problem is not that you decide between one and the other, the problem is that you buy the one that exists. I have never been in that dilemma because there is no variety. It depends on what is meant by justice, I would say that food is far above purchasing power, that could be said to be unfair Have your food preferences changed in the last two years? How? I love to eat, it's the greatest of pleasures from my point of view, a pork escalope, a kidney, roast pork and chicken in sauce with potatoes, tuna, a good steak, mixed salads, that I must not have forgotten to make… the ice cream, the malt soda, the sweets. But I am a man who has adapted since I was a child, I remember when I was on scholarship that I made a drink with water and some candies inside the container. Now I am not telling you not to drink an imported beer, a Kermato [non-alcoholic drink based on tomato juice, clams and spices], a carbonated soft drink, not to eat a delicious barbecue one day, but it is sacrificed [he pronounces it high and lengthening the syllables]. I love sugar water, which sucks, but it helps to stave off hunger sometimes. Sometimes I eat chicken mince, which I don't like, sometimes I eat a little more bread, which isn't bad for sustaining, which I don't like, but I have no other choice. What commodities do you find only or most often through the black market? The black market has always played a fundamental role when it comes to domestic sustenance, supplying the private sector. It even supplies to the left of the state sector [refers to illegal businesses within the state sector, gray markets]. I think that the State is aware, it knows that the system is inefficient and only with the proper functioning of that black market is it possible to place what is needed in each place, say in a home, say in a store, say in a state establishment. The black market has always played a fundamental role when it comes to domestic sustenance, supplying the private sector. It even supplies up to the left of the state sector I think there is a great shortage in general. There are several factors that conspire: the pandemic, the embargo, and most importantly, the poor performance of the Cuban State, the bad state policies. I have had cafeterias, for example, and at all times they functioned thanks to that parallel and capitalist market, which is the underground market; if it were not for him, this order of things as we know them would not exist, this government is supported by several pillars and one of them is the black market. Now the black market is weakened, but the little beef, milk, yogurt or flour that is obtained is through this route; businesses including mine continue to be nourished from there. In the end, I do not consider that I fall into an immoral crime for supplying myself from the black market, because not everything legal is fair, nor is everything illegal immoral. Read all interviews on Food Monitor Program HERE

Mientras algunas zonas logran estar medianamente abastecidas, hay otras que solo se abastecen una vez por mes. A causa de este fenómeno da lugar al crecimiento desmedido de la especulación, se multiplican los precios de los productos que escasean hasta 10 veces... The abundance of scarcity For: German Quintero January 04, 2022 precariousness for the Cuban population. For December 31 of last year, the government distributed rum and cigarettes to the entire population, assuming that rum and cigarettes would alleviate the situation of discontent. The government did not take into account that an important part of the population, not only children and pregnant mothers, does not consume rum or cigarettes, either because they are not part of their consumption habits, or simply because the products are of poor quality. . These state courtesies, obtained in the warehouse through the Booklet, were resold at more than five times the value established by the regime. Last week, independent media denounced the fines imposed on citizens who wanted to resell products that they did not consume in order to complement a fragile basic basket, lacking eggs and milk, but full of cigarettes and poor quality rum. The year 2021 will be remembered as one of the most difficult for Cuban citizens in terms of consumption, after the Special Period. Tourism income and remittances were strongly affected by the tightening of some of the embargo measures, of the health measures to mitigate the pandemic and, above all, by the spectacular failure of the regime's administrative management, which since the implementation of the Ordering Task at the beginning of that year, where in addition to not promoting domestic production, unifying the Cuban peso with the CUC, promoting the MLC and ignoring the situation of the international market, it was unable to meet the import quota and implemented sufficient measures to maintain or increase internal production. Cuba's economic crisis and the scarcity of goods is largely due to this implementation, which also had the misfortune of coinciding with the rise in international prices of consumer goods and a spiral of prices that shot up and moved away out of reach many foods that were obtained in foreign currency. For the sample, a button: the levels of fishing -affirmed government officials- would not return to those of three decades ago . The fishing laws of 1996 and the most recent of 2020 still do not have the necessary tools to be able to bring fish to the tables of Cubans. How is it possible that on an island, which has not only the sea but also important river sources, it is not easy to procure fish? How is it explained that there is an overexploitation of fishing resources on the island, but there is a shortage of this food? According to official sources, the annual per capita consumption of fish was 16 kg; today it barely reaches 3.8 kg. In short, following official data, each person in Cuba eats about 300 grams of fish per month. This year's forecast is no better than 2021: Going into 2022, essential foods continue to be in short supply and the prices of inputs such as beef, pork, rice, milk, butter and beans are rising. The concern among the population is widespread: some people seek solutions through the rituals of "feeding the land" of the Santeros, while others prepare social mobilizations that echo the cries of "we are hungry" and "freedom" of the 11J demonstrations. Added to this is the massive migration of many of the political dissidents who have been forced to leave the country due to the pressures to which the political regime has subjected them. The panorama of economic crisis in Cuba and the consequent food crisis will be one of the greatest challenges to be faced for this year. The 13% drop in the Gross Domestic Product during 2020 and 2021, as well as the reduction in tourism issues, will be important burdens that will make a dent in the food supply. For now, ordinary Cubans will continue to have to trade rum and cigarettes for basic necessities. AND AND he year 2021 has ended with a situation of extreme 1/1 Uno de los productos que históricamente ha escaseado en las mesas cubanas es la carne de ganado vacuno, carne de res como se le conoce popularmente. Las razones estructurales que han provocado la carestía crónica de este alimento son complejas y hunden sus raíces hasta los finales de la década del 60, cuando la Ofensiva Revolucionaria terminó por barrer del mapa unas más de 50 mil empresas medianas y pequeñas que constituían la espina dorsal económica de la nación. El estrepitoso fracaso de las políticas agropecuarias del comunismo se observa todos los días en la realidad cubana, pero en ningún momento es quizás tan gráfico como cuando “viene ternilla a la carnicería”. Frase que moviliza de manera automática todos los esfuerzos hogareños para lograr alcanzar algunos huesos de vaca prácticamente limpios y realizar la quirúrgica tarea de extraer algunas onzas de carne de la peor calidad, con la esperanza de armar algún tipo de receta de naturaleza alquímica que les permita a las familias con menos recursos paladear algo parecido a la carne de res, al menos una o dos veces al año. 1/2 La ternilla es altamente demandada, ansiada y deseada por las familias cubanas que no tienen dólares americanos para comprar en las infames tiendas en MLC que el castrismo ha introducido a la fuerza en la red de distribución nacional. Amas de casa, trabajadores, impedidos físicos, adultos mayores y enfermos crónicos se amontonan frente a las carnicerías para tratar de alcanzar algún trozo de costillar, en algunos casos en estado de semi -descomposición, por la falta de frío y no pocas veces ocurren trifulcas y peleas callejeras cuando es evidente que la oferta no va a poder satisfacer la demanda . En el caso de la ternilla las ventas generalmente son liberadas, como el precio es bajo (unos pocos pesos cubanos la libra, varía según variables que desconocemos) los consumidores tienden a comprar sacos y carretillas del producto lo que provoca inconformidad en quienes tienen que regresar a sus hogares con las manos vacías. Por esta razón, en algunas localidades, las personas espontáneamente asignan una cuota por comprador para intentar cubrir la demanda. La ternilla especialmente es un arma de disuasión psicológica, basta con que la Seguridad del Estado, a través de sus informantes y activistas “riegue la bola” de que se va a vender ternilla pronto en el cárnico de la comunidad para que se calmen los ánimos caldeados por el descontento, los apagones y el hambre. Cuando esto ocurre, los elementos más “conflictivos” del barrio se mantienen pasivos y obedientes hasta poder comprar el preciado bien. En esta ocasión (la que se registra en la evidencia gráfica), se escogieron días cercanos a las elecciones del 27 de noviembre para la venta del producto; la intención es demasiado evidente, pero el pueblo hambreado y persuadido de que no se merece mucho más que este tipo de tratos degradantes, asiste a la puesta en escena con resignación y disciplina. Para un porciento altísimo de la población es la única oportunidad de comer unos gramos de carne roja o simplemente de cualquier tipo de carne en el contexto de fuerte desabastecimiento que se está viviendo en estos momentos. 1/1 Con los precios de la carne de cerdo oscilando sobre los 400 pesos la libra, el pollo solo disponible de manera intermitente en MLC, el pescado desaparecido y el ganado menor como chivo, carnero, conejo prácticamente inexistente, la posibilidad de ingerir cárnicos para las familias de bajos ingresos es prácticamente nula. En su desesperación, los más desfavorecidos han decidido tácitamente participar en ese juego macabro del Estado totalitario que cambia supervivencia por obediencia. Los jerarcas del Partido, los funcionarios de gastronomía y comercio, y la red de agentes de la Seguridad del Estado distribuida a lo largo de la sociedad, conocen en profundidad este mecanismo y han aprendido a utilizar el hambre de los ciudadanos como un “seguro” de control a prueba de fallos. La falta de instituciones de la sociedad civil que denuncien estos atropellos, la poca capacidad de movimiento que tiene la prensa independiente y la presión psicológica que ejerce el eficiente sistema de propaganda integrada del castrismo, han contribuido a que estos fenómenos sean parte de la realidad de los cubanos sin que nadie parezca escandalizarse por tan inhumana práctica de apartheid alimentario. Read all of German Quintero's columns on the Food Monitor Program HERE

Las calles de La Habana son el reflejo de lo que ha sido la política revolucionaria por más de sesenta años... A paperless event to “celebrate” For: Serge Angel January 11, 2022 00:00 / 05:19 (Mincin) on December 18, it was announced that, as a result of the delays in the importation of the raw material for the preparation of the supply books for the year 2022, the available lines of the month of January and February of the notebooks of the year 2021. And although the announcement is for the population of the western and central provinces, it is eloquent in the face of what the year 2022 will be in terms of supply; something paradoxical if one takes into account that next March 12 marks the 60th anniversary of the enactment of Law 1015 of 1962, which gave rise to the creation of the "Supply Control Book" . It is difficult to speak of a celebration when in reality what is commemorated is not the supply of the population, but its control, that is, the exact moment in which, through a provision of the Council of Ministers, the National Board for the Distribution of of Food and this, making use of its powers, established the first food regulation measures for Cubans, sentencing what would be the following years of rationing. Under the euphemism of "year of planning" (year 1962) -and the fact is that the regime lives on euphemisms that are in no way compatible with reality- the National Board for the distribution of food announced at its first meeting on March 13 of 1962, what would be the rationed products and what would be the procedure for the acquisition of these through the passbook. What began as a measure to "improve the distribution of supplies" ended up becoming a state policy that through food controls the population in the most intimate. The regime got into each of the homes and abruptly came to control what each family could eat and the products with which they could clean themselves. In the blink of an eye, the board's provisions established measures for the entire country, for 26 cities and for Greater Havana (see image 1. Distribution of rationed items). It was not a minor justified decision in the shortage of those who could buy compared to those who were marginalized, it was a deliberate measure to register each person residing on the island through a person who would act as "head of the family" and who would register all the members of the family nucleus so that the paterfamilias "Revolutionary State" could "guarantee supply." In reality, there was no profit, what there was was a tremendous loss, not only had the freedom to buy been lost -of those who could and those who couldn't-, but also lost the freedom of not being controlled by an ideological apparatus such as the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). Surveillance body that from that moment acquired teeth and increased its ability to watch the neighbors, both those committed to the Revolution, as well as those "confused" or counterrevolutionaries (see image 2. How to obtain the notebook). The lack of paper for the preparation of notebooks is nothing more than a metaphor for the control to which the people are subjected. Without many alternatives, families will have to write down in the months of January and February 2021 what they will consume at the beginning of the year, hoping that The Mincin keeps its word and on January 30 delivers the 2022 notebooks so that everything returns to the "abnormality" in which it has lived since 1962. AND AND n a note published by the Ministry of Domestic Trade Read all of Sergio Angel's columns on the Food Monitor Program HERE

Hope at the end of the year table For: Nastassja Rojas December 28, 2021 00:00 / 02:46 our minds the recipes that have marked our lives. But what happens when we can't get the food we seek; what happens when a recipe must be adjusted to what can be achieved. These restrictions diminish our hope for the coming year and undermine our traditions. The rites around food are part of our nature as human beings and of our social construction. It is not just the fact of feeding ourselves, it is what is woven from the selection of recipes, the purchase of products, the preparation of food and, of course, sharing with the people we love. Each family has its own rites, customs and even very special recipes that are saved for these celebrations, so when personal conditions or crises endanger the festivities, despair is inevitable , even more so when it comes to dates like Christmas. and the New Year where a cycle is completed and hope is placed on a new beginning. And it is that rituals also provide us with great psychological benefits that can serve as a relief, at least momentarily, from the stress of everyday life, even more so in festivities such as Christmas that have a particular flavor. For this reason, in contexts of generalized economic crises, despite the difficulties of access to food, people try to rebuild with what the rites associated with these dates have within their reach. But, it is not only a question of eating, nor a commercial matter, but rather it is about the social , family and even personal meaning that we give to food. In countries like Cuba where it is currently almost impossible to access pork due to its high cost, families will have to replace their diet with the consequent emotional and social blow. And even when there is no longer the restriction of the celebration of Christmas, imposed in 1969, the festivities continue to be marked by the economic crisis and the barriers to access to food. Although some families are seeking to substitute chicken for pork for the celebration or come up with some other dishes, this is not just about the consumption of any food to satisfy hunger, it is the breaking of traditions and rituals that are of the utmost importance for the mental health and especially on this date when the table is accompanied by the renewal of the spirit and the belief that a better future is possible. The beginning of a new year brings with it the hope that perhaps this new year will change everything. c c hen we think of the holidays, they come to Read all the columns of Nastassja Rojas in Food Monitor Program HERE