Cubans wait for meat from Paraguay and chickens from Spain

The recent announcement that the Cuban government is negotiating with Paraguay to buy beef says nothing to Cubans: either they are skeptical or are wary of where the "forbidden meat" is going.

A delegation of island officials arrived in the country of South America and will stay at least 15 days. Paraguay's exports to Cuba, in general and not just meat, exceeded $ 2 million in 2018, the country's chancery reported on Monday, according to a report by the EFE.

Geordanis Muñoz, of the municipality of Palma Soriano, in Santiago de Cuba, believes that the negotiation does not benefit the Cuban people at all.

"Most of these products are no secret to anyone, they go to tourist hotels, another part relates to this great mbad of military units and warehouses, that is for them and their click, "he said.

Muñoz mentioned the high price of beef on the foreign exchange markets. "The people do not see it, the ordinary Cuban does not see anything of these agreements that he says."

The report of the Paraguayan Chancery indicated that shipments of meat to Cuba had increased by 60 per cent, without, however, specifying the figures at the origin of this percentage.

Geordanis Muñoz said that in Palma Soriano, there was a slaughterhouse, "but it is closed, they do not have professional content, there are no cattle, they do not bring them no raw material to make minced meat ".

Muñoz, a member of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU), who has served 18 months in prison for his political activism, estimates that "in a detachment with 80 detainees, there are 40 or 30 who are for beef : they bought it from someone else or they killed him to sell it. "

One of the examples, says Muñoz, is that of a man from the village "Almeida" of the Sierra Maestra, whom he met at Mar Verde prison and was imprisoned for the loss of two buffaloes under his responsibility. "It belongs to Guillermo García (the commander of the revolution, Guillermo García Frías), and because two buffaloes were stolen, this man was serving an eight-year sentence," he said.

The news of Cuban investment in Paraguay 's meat and other products will have no effect on the island' s economy, as the journalist badyzed. Independent Guillermo del Sol, Santa Clara, in the center of the island.

"For a country that has not eaten red meat for 60 years, an investment of 2 million pesos is laughable," said del Sol.

The communicator, who recently suffered an accident and was hospitalized, had to rely on high beef prices on the foreign exchange market.

"I had a big puncture in the thorax and, according to the surgeons, I had to eat red meat, otherwise it would no longer be sealed and I had no other choice than to d & # 39; go to a shopping center and spend 8.55 CUC (about 200 pesos in national currency) at the current rate) for one kilogram of red meat, five steaks, "laments Del Sol.

The freelance journalist said he was aware of the operation of a meat restaurant in the provincial capital, but not the destination of the products.

In November 2018, a Spanish ministerial delegation visited the island to strengthen their commercial relations. Between the announcements and the protocols of intention, the commission revealed to the press that Cuba was negotiating "a pact with a Spanish company to produce 30% of the chicken that it consumes".

The agreement would include the supply of animal feed, with participation of the Spanish Development Finance Corporation (COFIDES). According to the memorandum published in Cuba, some 250 Spanish companies are active.

The news immediately gave rise to suspicious comments on social networks.

Carmen A. R. commented: "The detail of the transport of these chickens, where will it happen, to the old and poor Cuba or Cuba of tourists and luxuries?"

Meanwhile, @ gilbert8410 asked, "Are Cuba or Venezuela paying?"

Nearly six months after this announcement, the results are visible: a shortage of food products that many have compared to the worst years of the special period of the 90s of the last century.

Finally, we discussed with Juan Alberto de Nuez Ramírez, resident in Aguada de Pasajeros in Cienfuegos, where there is a buffalo farm for fattening and land for livestock.

"There is a plan from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) that they raise fattening buffaloes, as well as cattle, a slaughterhouse, it runs every day, the beef comes out every day and no state establishment does not see it. " he affirmed.

De La Nuez Ramírez gives the example of the efforts of the citizens of the city to legalize the fishing, marketing and sale of claria, but the municipal government categorically refused, he said.

"They have proposed that this program (claya fishing) begin, but it will be with MININT here in Ciénaga de Zapata," he concluded.

(With information from Martí News, Agencia EFE and the Spanish ABC newspaper)