A Commercial, Agricultural, and Gastronomic Fair held this past Saturday in Camagüey for Mother's Day sparked a wave of public outrage on social media. Comments highlighted unaffordable prices, power outages, and the belief that high-quality products never reach the everyday citizens.
Beginning at 7:00 a.m., the event took place at Cándido González Stadium, the INRA Trocha, Avenida de La Libertad, and around CopaCabana, featuring more than 240 participating vendors, according to Radio Cadena Agramonte's official Facebook page.
Reinaldo Aguilar Cruz, the Government Provincial Coordinator for Programs and Objectives, reported that 22 commercial venues, 27 economic actors, and 143 production bases participated, offering a variety of goods such as root vegetables, greens, grains, charcoal, and meats.
Walter Simón Noris, the first secretary of the Provincial Communist Party Committee, and Jorge Enrique Sutil Sarabia, the provincial governor, toured the facilities and admitted that "the people's demands are still unmet," despite acknowledging the efforts made in the face of economic and fuel limitations, the source noted.
Public Reaction and Social Media Outcry
Public reactions to official posts were overwhelmingly critical, starkly contrasting the government narrative. Alfredo Pozo summarized the sentiment with a phrase that became widely shared: "Meat is for the officials, and only vegetables for the people."
Idalberto Olivares questioned the notion of affordable prices touted by the organizers. "What do they mean by affordable prices? Three small sweet potatoes for 60 pesos a pound, and sometimes they're bad," he remarked.
Milka Milanés Saldaña painted a grim picture of the situation faced by Cuban mothers. "We're in a complete blackout with no way to store food, unplugged refrigerators, and no working or retired mother can afford a gift, food, or other basic needs... the banks have no cash," she said.
Criticism Extends Beyond Camagüey
Ángel Luis Gracia González was blunt, stating, "There's no celebration when mothers and others suffer from high prices, scarcity, and the huge power outages that only affect the people."
Sarcastically, Oscar Gamboa added, "You can see the people's joy behind four plantains; they should be ashamed to publish that."
Loraine Borroto summed up the event with two words that resonated with many Cubans: "The circus."
The situation in Camagüey is not unique. Earlier this week, the "Art for Mom" fair in Sancti Spíritus also faced criticism for unaffordable prices, being dubbed "art for rich moms." In April, a woman in Cienfuegos revealed that she couldn't buy meat at an agricultural fair with 2,500 pesos, as steak was priced at 1,000 pesos per pound.
The context in Camagüey exacerbates the scenario. In February, the province halted interprovincial transport and gasoline sales due to a diesel shortage, maintaining only one bus per day to Havana. Additionally, the second secretary of the provincial Communist Party was removed from office for diverting fuel intended for hospitals and clinics, a corruption scandal that rocked the local party leadership.
On a national scale, the average salary is around 6,930 pesos (approximately 15 dollars at the informal exchange rate), while surviving requires more than 50,000 pesos a month. The "In Cuba, There's Hunger 2025" survey revealed that nearly 34% of households have at least one member who goes to bed hungry.
Key Issues and Public Concerns in Camagüey's Mother's Day Fair
What was the public's main criticism of the Camagüey fair?
The public mainly criticized the fair for its unaffordable prices, power outages, and the perception that high-quality products were not available to the general population.
How did government officials respond to the criticisms?
Government officials acknowledged the ongoing challenges in meeting public demands but commended the efforts made under economic and fuel constraints.
How does the economic context in Camagüey affect everyday life?
The economic situation in Camagüey is dire, with halted transport, fuel shortages, and widespread corruption exacerbating daily hardships for residents.