Neglect of Tínima Brewery in Camagüey Sparks Cuban Outrage

A photograph revealing the current state of the Tínima brewery in Camagüey has unleashed a wave of anger among Cubans both on the island and abroad. Once a cornerstone of industrial achievement for the province, the facility now lies in abandonment, highlighting the failures of Cuba's socialist regime.

The image, shared on the Facebook page "Maravilloso Malecón," depicts six to eight large industrial silos or tanks severely rusted and in advanced decay, overrun by tropical vegetation, with dilapidated dirt paths and scattered debris.

Inaugurated on December 23, 1985, by Fidel Castro, the brewery was hailed as "Cuba's most modern and beautiful beer factory," constructed with the assistance of the former German Democratic Republic. By 1989, it was producing up to 500,000 cases per month, symbolizing Camagüey's industrial pride.

The brewery's name, chosen through a public survey, paid homage to local identity. It boasted three bottling lines for 350 ml and 500 ml bottles, with a potential annual capacity of one million hectoliters.

The Toll of State Neglect

Decades of government neglect have reduced this industrial emblem to ruins. The damage isn't only cosmetic; on July 12, 2022, an ammonia leak forced the evacuation and hospitalization of 12 students from the nearby Máximo Gómez Báez high school, underscoring years of underinvestment.

These leaks, described as "sporadic yet dangerous," resulted directly from a lack of maintenance and posed a continuous threat to students.

Public Outcry and Nostalgia

Cuban citizens' comments on the post convey a blend of nostalgia, outrage, and political criticism. "I can't believe that's the Tínima brewery," lamented one user, recalling their time in Camagüey when the factory was founded. "These are the results of the Revolution's 'achievements'," a Cuban in Germany sarcastically remarked.

An engineer bluntly stated, "Everything is like this. Destroyed. Cuba produces nothing and waits for someone to step in and make it productive." An individual from Ciego de Ávila highlighted the political motives behind the neglect: "The more misery, the easier it is to control the flock into which we've been turned."

Another visitor recalled, "What a crime, I visited several times during its last operational years. The barrel area was very outdated." A Havana resident encapsulated the situation with a rhetorical question about the lack of maintenance and political distractions: "Is there any place that can last without repairs or maintenance, while only focusing on political meetings and blaming others for incompetence?" "They ruined the entire country," concluded another commenter.

Prospects for Revival?

In November 2024, at the Havana International Fair, an agreement between the Cuban company ALIMCOR S.A. and Spanish brewer Damm was announced to revive the Tínima brand, restore the plant, and create at least 300 direct jobs.

Damm intended to revive even the original recipes of the classic and strong beers. However, at the time of the announcement, the agreement was still "in the final processing stage," and there is no concrete evidence of progress, while images of rusted silos and invasive weeds continue to circulate on social media, fueling public skepticism.

The Tínima case is not unique.

Industrial collapse in Cuba spans from sugar mills, like the Primero de Enero, which in August 2025 operated without electricity, wages, or harvest, to public transportation, where Havana terminals house scores of dismantled and rusted buses with only 35% of planned services executed.