Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel has once again criticized the nation's farmers during one of his routine visits to "economic targets." In a recent trip to Mayabeque, he questioned, "Why do some manage to break the inertia while others do not, when adversity affects us all equally?" His comments, shared on X alongside a video showcasing successful agricultural projects, shift the blame for the ongoing crisis onto the farmers, without addressing the systemic issues caused by his administration's mismanagement.
On his Friday visit to Mayabeque, Díaz-Canel toured several agricultural sites, including the La Asunción farm with its 500,000 papaya plants, the San José de la Lajas pork center, and Los Olivos farm in Jaruco. Despite these visits, he neglects to acknowledge the structural barriers hindering agricultural success in Cuba, focusing instead on the farmers as the root of the problem.
Ignoring Root Causes While Shifting Blame
This isn't the first time Díaz-Canel has scolded Cuban farmers. In May, during a speech characterized by an instructive tone and avoidance of accountability, he criticized the country's farmers for low agricultural output, stating that "there is a lot of land to cultivate." He failed to recognize the State's role in the inefficiencies of the Cuban agricultural system.
At the National Congress of the National Association of Small Farmers (ANAP), he repeated old promises of productive transformation, blaming farmers for not making better use of usufruct land, despite the numerous restrictions imposed by his own government, according to a report from Canal Caribe.
Historical Promises, Current Realities
Díaz-Canel claimed, "This congress will truly be historic if we manage to change the situation of food production in the country… and there is a lot of land to cultivate, a lot of land to put to use." His speech overlooked significant issues such as access to supplies, technology, and the autonomy that Cuban producers desperately need.
While admitting that in previous periods the country had abundant resources that were squandered "without achieving efficiency," the leader did not take institutional responsibility nor propose substantial reforms to the centralized model that keeps Cuban agriculture tethered.
Simple Solutions for Complex Problems
Recently, Díaz-Canel made headlines again for his simplistic approach to tackling inflation, which continues to burden Cubans. Instead of offering real solutions, he resorted to clichés that ignore the impact of his policies, saying, "If we have food freely available, prices will inevitably drop," during a visit to the Consuelo farm in Alquízar, Artemisa. His statement reduces the structural economic crisis to a simplistic formula, ignoring the shortages, lack of inputs, and state controls, all of which are under his government's purview.
During his tour, Díaz-Canel highlighted the cultivation of 0.20 hectares of sweet potatoes and 0.60 hectares of bananas by farmer Wilfredo Vallés Rodríguez as a model to replicate nationwide. He emphasized that experiences like Vallés' should be multiplied, as if a few plots could counteract the deep-rooted food shortages affecting the population.
Understanding Cuba’s Agricultural Challenges
What is Díaz-Canel's main criticism of Cuban farmers?
Díaz-Canel criticizes Cuban farmers for not overcoming challenges and breaking the inertia in agriculture, without addressing the structural issues caused by his government's management.
How does Díaz-Canel view successful agricultural projects?
He sees successful projects as examples to follow, questioning why some farmers succeed while others do not, attributing the failures to the farmers rather than systemic issues.
What systemic issues affect Cuban agriculture?
Cuban agriculture is hindered by a lack of access to supplies, technology, and autonomy, along with restrictions and inefficiencies imposed by the government's centralized model.