In a recent address at the World Food Forum organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel once again attributed the island's food crisis to the U.S. embargo, drawing a controversial comparison between Cuba's situation and that of Gaza. The speech, released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was directed to FAO's Director-General, Qu Dongyu, as part of the organization's 80th-anniversary celebrations.
Díaz-Canel stated that the "unilateral coercive measures," referencing the U.S. embargo, act as a "genocidal method" aimed at starving the Cuban people into submission, likening it to the situation faced by Palestinians in Gaza. "The criminal blockade on Cuba, enduring for over six decades and continuously intensifying, seeks to surrender our people through hunger and deprivation, applied similarly to the Palestinians in Gaza," he declared.
Deflecting Accountability Amidst an Agricultural Crisis
By making such a comparison, Díaz-Canel attempted to equate Cuba with one of the world's most severe conflicts, sidestepping the internal responsibilities of his government in the island's agricultural and food production crisis. Basic staples like rice, bread, oil, and milk remain scarce.
The Cuban leader dedicated a significant portion of his speech to praising the historical relationship between Cuba and the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), highlighting the late Fidel Castro's role and Cuba's supposed commitment to food security and sustainable rural development. According to Díaz-Canel, the FAO "has been a pillar of support" for Cuba's agricultural development, currently collaborating on 13 projects across 59 municipalities.
FAO's Role and the Grim Reality of Cuban Agriculture
Despite the years of cooperation with the FAO, Cuba's agricultural production faces one of its worst crises. Fuel shortages, lack of fertilizers, and equipment, coupled with state control over the agricultural sector and lack of incentives for producers, have led to a significant decline in national production. The regime has acknowledged that Cuba imports over 80% of its food, a dependency exacerbated by a shortage of foreign currency, even as the country invests millions in political, military, and international cooperation projects.
In his address, Díaz-Canel also criticized the "unjust international order," neocolonialism, and neoliberalism, attributing global inequalities to these factors while ignoring the impact of corruption, inefficiency, and the absence of reforms within his own government.
A Stark Contrast Between Rhetoric and Reality
While the leader talks about "transforming agri-food systems," Cubans endure endless lines for a loaf of bread or a liter of powdered milk, products rationed by the state whose scarcity has become part of daily life. The message concluded with thanks to the FAO for its "support" of Cuba's "fight for food sovereignty," although the outcomes of such policies are negligible.
Far from achieving "better production and nutrition," as the official rhetoric promises, the Cuban population faces hunger, inflation, and despair. Instead of serving as an accountability report on the nation's agricultural failures, Díaz-Canel's FAO address was yet another exercise in international propaganda, blaming the embargo and "foreign powers" for the issues caused by his own administration.
In this recent international engagement, Miguel Díaz-Canel reiterated his typical discourse, blaming the "unjust international economic order" for Cuba's food challenges, without acknowledging his government's systemic shortcomings. He continued to point fingers at neocolonialism and the global capitalist system for the hunger issues, overlooking the internal consequences of his centralized and ineffective model.
Meanwhile, on the island, data contradicts the official narrative. The food crisis has reached alarming levels, with millions relying on ultra-processed products with little nutritional value. According to the Food Monitor Program, a barely acceptable diet for two adults costs nearly 20 minimum monthly wages, an unaffordable figure for most.
The lack of micronutrients and fiber has led to a rise in deficiency diseases, particularly affecting children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic illnesses. Despite this dire situation, an official survey claimed that 94% of Cubans trust the government to resolve the food crisis, a statistic widely questioned for its lack of methodological transparency.
The harsh reality on the streets, where entire families survive on a single meal a day, starkly contrasts with the results of these surveys.
Understanding Cuba's Food Crisis and International Relations
What are the main causes of Cuba's current food crisis?
Cuba's food crisis is primarily attributed to a combination of the U.S. embargo, systemic inefficiencies within the government, and state control over agriculture. The lack of resources, such as fuel and fertilizers, further exacerbates the situation.
How does the FAO support Cuba's agricultural sector?
The FAO supports Cuba by collaborating on various agricultural development projects aimed at enhancing food security and promoting sustainable rural development. Currently, the FAO is involved in 13 projects across 59 Cuban municipalities.
How does the Cuban government's narrative differ from the reality on the ground?
The Cuban government often blames external factors like the U.S. embargo and global capitalism for the country's food shortages. However, the reality on the ground shows that government inefficiencies, lack of reforms, and control over agriculture play significant roles in the ongoing crisis.