Translating Cuba

The official press also mentioned that kits of solar panels, cement and household appliances that were previously sold in another location will also be marketed.

https://www.facebook.com/GTabacuba/posts/815736041020721?ref=embed_post

Located in the Tobacco Logistics Base Business Unit on Las Ovas Road, the shop is almost exclusively stocked with products from the Chinese brand Total Tools, including the power generators. However, it is unclear whether they have been donated by Beijing or purchased by the island.

The store opens at a time when tension has risen among farmers over the devaluation of the MLC, which barely buys anything in an economy now turned to the dollar. The inconveniences in a sector that produces so much income is precisely the reason behind the opening, according to Murillo himself: “It is a way for them to reinvest in their land as long as they do not have debts with the company, and to ensure that the MLC paid has purchasing power.”

The company president also assured that there are plans to open similar shops in the municipalities of San Luis and San Juan y Martínez, tobacco producers par excellence, as well as in Vuelta Arriba, in the central provinces that also produce cigars.

The authorities did not clarify prices either, although they claimed that they are “between 25% and 30% less expensive than in the current domestic market as a result of negotiating directly with the supplier while avoiding intermediaries.”They also stressed that “after-sales” service and “transport facilities” will be provided to customers if necessary.

It is not the first time that Tabacuba offers tobacco growers a way to use the MLC, which is losing value

It is not the first time that Tabacuba offers tobacco growers a way to use the MLC, which is losing value, now worth only 205 pesos, compared to the record of 310 in May 2024. At the end of August, the company delivered six modern Mercedes-Benz to Cuban farmers to “encourage tobacco production.”

According to what a tobacco dealer from Pinar del Río told 14ymedio, the offer to manage the purchase of vehicles – paid for in MLC by the farmers themselves – was made to about 300 producers, six of whom chose a Mercedes-Benz. Some 15 opted for Chinese tillers of the Foton brand and semi-trailers.

Tabacuba, he then explained, offered to pay for the cars in dollars abroad and charge the farmers the amount at the exchange rate of one MLC to a dollar, while in the informal market the American currency is worth two times more than the virtual one. For farmers, the business initially appears to be beneficial, especially given the dizzying devaluation of the MLC. But there is a catch: although it is a sector that generates many currencies and profits for the State, producers are still forced to manage their crops in the devalued MLC, without access to the dollars they generate.

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.

“Here in the district today, the power has not returned since it left, at 6 am,” said a resident 24 hours later

“Here in the district today the power has not returned since it left, at 6 am,” said a resident 24 hours later. “What’s the story? It’s that the Government, which is really the one that should leave, doesn’t.” This was one of more than 150 comments to the post of the provincial electricity company announcing the fix of the fault. Most spoke of a daily average of 17 hours without electricity. This Tuesday, more than 2,000 megawatts (MW) were cut, and yesterday (Wednesday), a deficit of 1,990 MW was expected, although finally the amount remained at a not-negligible 1,885 MW, similar to the 1,830 planned for this Thursday.

Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy again appeared before the press to “update” the situation of the national electrical system, although he said absolutely nothing new, beyond the renewal of a date for solving the problems.

This time, the next horizon has been set for the weekend, when Felton 1 and Renté 5 should return, and the following days, when oil — whose absence has caused a more pronounced electricity deficit than gasoline, he said — should arrive. The next is in October, with the incorporation of units 4 of the CTE Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (Cienfuegos) and 2 of the Santa Cruz del Norte. But there is a shadow that clouds everything, and it is the exit of the Guiteras unit, in Matanzas, which will occur “in December, taking advantage of the period of lower electricity demand.” The increase in solar energy, during daylight hours, does not compensate for the loss; even though the electricity is now at 650 MW, it is still very low.

“According to United Nations data, renewable energies accounted for 30 per cent of electricity consumption at the beginning of this decade. In Cuba at that time, it barely reached 4% of the generation,” reports economist Juan Triana Cordoví in an article published this Wednesday in OnCuba. Although he concedes that the new data show a rapid escalation in photovoltaics, the lost time takes a toll.

“The expert claims the urgent need for the private sector to enter energy production, citing the positive “generation experience with a 100%-foreign thermal power plant on the Isla de la Juventud”

The expert claims the urgent need for the private sector to enter energy production, citing the positive “generation experience with a 100%-foreign thermal power plant, now state owned, on the Isla de la Juventud.” Triana Cordoví reviews all the attempted strategies, including the failure of bioelectric pipes, the zero investment in wind energy, the millions in non-refundable expenditures on Turkish floating power plants and the unsustainable subsidy to the electricity bill, which is paid in pesos when the system needs dollars.

“I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all solution, excepting luck, and that rarely happens,” he says after considering that any contribution, including support for single-family solar, is good, but a new comprehensive strategy is needed. “It is time to innovate with business models that contribute to the increase of generation and improvement of service, apart from the centrality of State regulation,” he states, since “having electricity and drinking water is by no means a ‘petty-bourgeois’ aspiration or an aristocratic banality.”

The economist’s article points out that two centuries have passed since the industrial revolution and that two simple elements were essential for this. “Access to water and energy has been a basic requirement for the Homo sapiens herdsman to be radically different from the other herdsmen,” he says. Cuba lacks both and therefore cannot prosper.

Water scarcity, caused by the weather and aggravated by the blackouts, affects more than 3.1 million people -30% of the population-, who suffer a total or partial lack of supply.

The situation is getting to the point where Cienfuegos now depends on Villa Clara for its supply. This Wednesday, both provinces announced an agreement to transfer water from the Hanabanilla reservoir to Paso Bonito, whose levels are seriously low.

“The situation is complex and requires innovative measures,” said Cienfuegos Governor Yolexis Rodríguez Armada. It is expected that tomorrow the water will begin to arrive through the use of pumping systems, and the population is asked not to waste it, which begs another question: “What about the leaks in the water pipes; when will they be fixed?”

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.

Another pillar of the speech was, as usual, the emphasis on the responsibility of the U.S. for the arrival of drugs on the island. According to Poey, who further described the country’s current military presence in the Caribbean as a risk to national sovereignty and regional stability, the U.S. is the world’s largest consumer of drugs, and Cuba is on the drug route to its borders.

However, he himself acknowledged at another time that the island “is not a country producing, storing or transiting drugs to third countries.” He also overlooked the fact that, although the U.S. has always been a great consumer, it was not until a few years ago that the presence of drugs began to grow in Cuba to the point where even the official press, previously silent on the subject, now considers it an undeniable reality.

Poey remarked that ‘el químico’ is the narcotic “of greatest impact in our society at present,” something he associated with the rise of synthetic drugs

Poey remarked that ‘el químico‘ is the narcotic “of greatest impact in our society at present,” something he associated with the rise of synthetic drugs made in laboratories, which are “a big and lucrative business. There is less money invested, they get it faster and sell it.” Natural drugs, like marijuana, he said, take longer to produce.

Despite this, he continued, many programs have been carried out to prevent and detect consumption, starting with the national campaign against drug trafficking, “which has run monthly throughout the country since January, with operations extended in the capital because of its complexity.”

Although he did not mention it in its report, Cuba has also made sure that the severe penalties it imposes on drug traffickers and users are exemplary. Both Cuban Television and the official press have devoted numerous reports in recent months to exposing drug-related trials, and Cubans have noticed this. Communities, said Poey, “demand, in the broad sense, more public judgment and more prosecution.”

On the positive side, he said, “We can officially certify that there is no fentanyl in our country, “although the presence of other substances leaves its mark on consumers. A month ago, Poey himself stated on Cuban Television that 45 types of cannabinoids can be found on the island, of the 250 that circulate globally. Some of them are up to 50 times more potent than heroin.

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.

Last year’s Bayamo protest was not the only one that took place on March 17, and they resembled those of ’11J’.

Last year’s protest in Bayamo was not the only one that took place on March 17; there were also demonstrations in Santiago de Cuba and Holguín that resembled those of ’11J’. They took place on a Sunday and also began with shouts of “we want electricity,

The photos disseminated on social networks also showed the participation of hundreds of people.

That day, in an unusual gesture, Cubadebate offered explanations of what was happening in Santiago de Cuba in a Facebook post. “As a result of long hours of power cuts due to the unavailability of fuel and other situations resulting from the current economic crisis, several people took to the streets and a demonstration occurred,” admitted the official press.

According to the same publication, “the people who were demonstrating asked for electricity and food,” and, it conceded, “isolated cries of Patria y Vida were also heard from small groups within the mass of people,” although it immediately qualified that “they were not followed by the majority.”

Cubadebate also acknowledged the presence of Security Forces but said that “no police intervened, as can be seen in the photos. They are only guarding the demonstration and talking directly with citizens, in the exercise of duty, but allowing the demonstration to take place in complete freedom.” It also reported the presence of Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, governor of the province, and other officials “to dialogue with the population and pay attention to the complaint.”

Just this Tuesday, once again there was an electricity deficit of more than 2,000 megawatts (MW) in the country, specifically 2.052 MW.

At the time, there were reports of police repression only in Bayamo. A video of the protests in that city recorded, on Sunday night, a group of citizens struggling with several policemen while others ran to avoid the blows. Other videos, shared by La Hora de Cuba, showed, in earlier hours, a protest with hundreds of people chanting “homeland and life.” This independent media reported that the whole city was militarized. A third video showed several patrols blocking a street to prevent demonstrators from continuing the march.

The next day, President Miguel Díaz-Canel made it clear that the regime’s position would be the same as on other occasions. In a follow-up to messages on the social network X, he commented on the demonstrations saying that they had “destabilizing purposes” and had been carried out by “terrorists based in the U.S.”

Unlike the official reaction after the 11J protests, the Cuban authorities kept a cautious tone in their statements, and, in fact, during this year and a half, nothing had been known of these detainees until now. But now is not just any moment.

Just this Tuesday, the country again exceeded 2,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity deficit, namely 2,052 MW — the previous record of 2,054 MW was on July 21 — and for this Wednesday, the Electric Union of Cuba again predicts a high deficit for the afternoon-night peak hours. At that time, the demand will be 3,500 MW and the availability only 1,580 MW, so there will be a shortage of 1,920 MW and an actual effect of 1,990 MW; that is to say, there will not be 57% of the energy required.

For Cubans, the numbers translate into stress, lack of sleep and despair. The trials are a warning to citizens of what can happen if they are go massively into the streets to protest.

Translated by Regina Anavy

“The company emphasizes that “the sales of Gasolinas Bienestar are made through contracts denominated in pesos at the rates prevailing on the market”

“Bienestar is the intermediary for contracts denominated in pesos at prevailing market rates” and insists that it has “procedures to ensure that such sales are made in accordance with applicable law.” The clarification, which is noteworthy because Pemex tries to make it clear that it complies with U.S. legislation as far as the embargo on Cuba is concerned, repeats the word “sale” twice.

Since mid-2023, when Mexico started shipping fuel to Cuba, payments have remained a mystery. Initially the possibility of donations was contemplated, an extreme denied by the president of Pemex, although the statement of then chancellor Alicia Bárcenas on studying how to charge Cuba for the shipments generated doubts. Two years have passed, and it is still not known if the island receives oil as barter or as part of some triangulated agreement with Venezuela, which, for more than a year, has been in breach of the agreement to export at least 55,000 bpd to Cuba.

In Mexico, skepticism about the nature of these exports is high, not only because of an ideological issue but also because of the risk that it will lead to confrontation with the U.S., its main trading partner. In addition there is concern about the debts that are piling up for the State oil company.

“Anything that the Mexican government does against the interests that President Trump has put on the table is dangerous, because it can affect expectations or agreements that have already been achieved,” Ana Lilia Moreno, the Coordinator of the regulatory program in Mexico Evaluates, told El Universal.

The expert adds that it is a complex issue, because helping Cuba stay afloat may be considered necessary for the population, but the Government still does not guarantee human rights. “The problem is that the Cuban regime does not give in to the pressure of the people themselves and continues to repress them. For President Claudia Sheinbaum, it is difficult, but it can really have a serious impact. There is even talk that Cuba could not be paying for this entirely,” she says.

The newspaper has reviewed the total exports of Pemex and concludes that, although they have generally decreased, the volume destined for Cuba is increasing

The newspaper has reviewed the total exports of Pemex and concludes that, although they have generally decreased — almost by half in the first half of 2025 in comparison to the same period of 2020, with 628,000 bpd compared to 1,142,000 — the amount destined for Cuba is increasing, as is the value.

Gonzalo Monroy, director of the energy consultancy GMEC, who was also interviewed by the newspaper, says that this occurs at a time when the State has $23 billion in debt to suppliers and $98 billion in financial debt.

“Now, in Trump’s second term, the Mexican government must be careful with these operations, since they can’t conduct commercial relations with companies that are on the list of the embargo imposed by the United States,” he says

A peculiarity of this report is that Pemex announces that it will allocate 130 million pesos in financial investment to Gasolinas Bienestar.

The Mexican Organization against Corruption and Impunity (MCCI) has received different estimates from oil exports. Based on numerous ship movements between May and June, it puts the value of crude oil shipments to Cuba in the first half of 2025 at $850 million or more.

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.

This delay in 33 Basic Units of Cooperative Production affects no more and no less than 4,700 producers

Elba Peña Rojas, president of a cooperative located in Banes, Holguín, expresses the same reproach. “It is harmful to have cane stalks from three years ago, which we have stopped cutting for one reason or another. The contract to pay tax to the Fernando de Dios plant is violated, and today the Agroindustrial Azucarera owes us 22 million pesos. This affects the payment to the sugarcane growers and the distribution of profits to the cooperatives.”

Peña claims that this is not the only thing missing. The lack of fertilizers, herbicides, fuel and other resources — which have reduced the cane yield from 100 to 45 tons per hectare — is compounded by malicious fires, which have left great damage in their territory.

To the pile of misfortunes, producers add one more: the theft of wire used to fence the fields, which allows livestock from surrounding areas to enter the land and destroy the cane. “We have 210 hectares. Once again, cattle are being raised in the area, and we have put fences around the cane fields, but it is not enough because the wire is stolen and the animals kill the plants. We report it and no one acts to stop the crime,” he complains.

Trabajadores interviewed Antonio Viamontes Perdomo, director of the only mill that met the targets of the sugar plan of the last campaign, the Melanio Hernández of Sancti Spíritus. “In the last four years, fuel restrictions have affected the planting of seeds and limited the amount of cane grown. The idea is to stop the decline in June 2026,” he says. Despite honorably fulfilling their targets, the territory that supplies them does not have good news. “There, 75% of the land used for cane cultivation is empty.”

More examples: The Carlos Manuel de Céspedes plant, in Camagüey, milled 21% of burnt cane and transported 70%, which took more than 12 hours to arrive, affecting efficiency, which was only 20% of the plan. In Artemisa, the company 30 de Noviembre had a fuel shortage. It took 34 days to move the cane, so only 1,762 tons were processed.

The Antonio Guiteras of Las Tunas remained at 16% of what was projected, 7,200 out of the planned 45,000 tons. The figure is very worrying because this is the mill that agreed to deliver more sugar to the state, but everything bad that could happen, happened, including a shortage of staff, which is increasingly pressing.

The Ciro Redondo, in Ciego de Avila, has gone seven consecutive years without fulfilling the order, aggravated this year because it milled more than half, but 70% was cane from previous harvests, which gave worse results. The same goes for the neighboring bioelectric, which adds up to “millions of kilowatts left to contribute since the launch in 2020, although this press team did not have access to official information on that subject,” the text says.

Trabajadores repeats the complaint by referring to the Uruguay sugar mill, closed for years when it was planned that the Russians would renovate it. “Some obstacles have also made it necessary to grasp first-hand what is happening in the Uruguay industry of Sancti Spíritus. However, through other legal channels it was known that its machines were shut down in 2022, due to the decrease of cane and the lack of resources to revitalize factory equipment,” says the article, which highlights the government’s failure to comply with its own Social Communication Law, refusing to give data required by the official press.

The Urban Noris, in Holguín, had its last harvest in 2023, says the management of the sugar business group in the province, since “it needed a capital repair that was not possible, because it depends on an investment”

The Urban Noris, in Holguín, had its last harvest in 2023, says the management of the sugar business group in the province, since “it needed a capital repair that was not possible because it depends on an investment.” Planting has been another problem. The cane needs to grow, but if it did there would be no industry to process it. “In the fields there is evidence, with large quantities of stalks left and requisitioned,” says José Luis Jomarrón Cera, president of another las Tunas cooperative.

“They subtracted from us for harvesting 14,000 tons of cane with approximately 28 million pesos to collect. On the other hand, non-payments for raw material, which has now been provided and processed, hampers the delivery of advances and the purchase of the inputs necessary for production. In addition, costs are altered, since by not paying off the loans granted by the banks, the interest goes up and substantial amounts of money have to be paid.” The few measures taken, he adds, have come too late, as the sugar industry is dying.

The latest harvest data have not been officially disclosed, but it is known that it did not reach 150,000 tons and that the quantity may even be much lower. Fifteen sugar mills participated in this campaign, of which 10 have contributed their results to the official media, totaling 95,584 tons. The remaining five have not disclosed their production, but it is known precisely that among all of them they targeted 52,068 tons of sugar. That is, if they had met it, the harvest would amount to 147,652 tons. However, only one, in Sancti Spíritisdid did so. Forty years ago, a record was reached with 8.5 million tons of sugar. Since then, the drop is like a bottomless pit.

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.

“Currently the white village remains calm and with its usual tranquility,” said the media, which shared images and videos of the town to show that the streets were empty, although still dark.

It also denounced the “politicization” and “manipulation” of events on social networks and called on Cubans to obtain information from “reliable sources.”

Since the national electricity system (SEN) collapsed on Wednesday morning, the hours of electricity for Cubans have been scarce. Although the authorities soon celebrated the “recovery” of the country, many households remain in blackout or with an unstable service.

Tempers have flared throughout the island after the energy collapse, and the tension is palpable. The closure of many private businesses, the cancelation of medical appointments, the suspension of classes in numerous schools and the spoiled food in refrigerators have put an end to the patience of Cubans.

In early August, Holguín staged another protest. In the village of Cajimaya, in the municipality of Mayarí, residents took to the streets to demand water, food and other essential services. Several images and videos then shared on social networks recorded the moment when the police arrested several of the protesters. 

Shortly before, in June, something similar happened in Guanabacoa, in the capital. Then, the neighborhood protest ended with a fire and a dozen detainees. The trigger was a blackout, coupled with the lack of water, which pushed residents of the neighborhoods Barreto, Teguete and Potosí to go to the streets among cries of “Freedom!” and the noise of bottles smashing on the pavement.

Police quickly charged several of the protesters. Among them was Sunamis Quintero Garcia, a young mother who, according to witnesses, did not participate directly in the protest. “She was sitting in the doorway. When she saw the police coming, she started shouting ‘Freedom! Long live a free Cuba!’ and right there three agents went after her,” said her mother, Moraima García, in a video broadcast from Florida.

Also in May, protests were reported in Granma, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Ávila and Santiago de Cuba. In all demonstrations, including the one this Saturday, the Cubans are only demanding their most basic rights.

Translated by Regina Anavy

____________

COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.