In the town of Camalote, located within Nuevitas municipality in Camagüey province, a forest worker has publicly accused local authorities and police of seizing his entire charcoal production. He claims this action has deprived him of the sole source of income available to support his family in the area.
The worker, identified as Ramón Oro, shared his ordeal on his Facebook profile, accompanied by images and videos documenting the incident.
Authorities Confiscate Charcoal Without Warning
According to Oro, his employer, the Forest Company, typically allows workers to deliver a portion of their charcoal and sell the surplus. However, this time inspectors arrived with police officers in tow, aiming to intimidate and confiscate his entire production without exceptions.
"I, Ramón Oro, work for the Forestry. They let us deliver charcoal and sell the rest, but they came with police to scare us and took everything," he stated.
Impact on Family and Community Outrage
Oro revealed he is responsible for two ailing elderly individuals, including his father, Francisco Oro Guevara, a noted revolutionary combatant who is bedridden, with no one offering assistance.
"This is the only job available in Tropezón. How do they expect me to survive if this is all I have to make a living?" he questioned.
The incident sparked a strong reaction from the community. One family member commented, "These people are always doing the same, they can't stand seeing someone trying to survive; yet, they do nothing to those who steal and rob."
Another user remarked, "They're not just taking charcoal. They're taking away hours of hard work and the only means these people have to provide food and medicine for their parents. They show no remorse."
A further comment was blunt: "The only thing missing is the machete plan like Batista's guards."
Contradicting Official Statements
This case stands in contrast to the official narrative from Camagüey authorities. In June, municipal manager Lázaro Echeverría Rodríguez stated, "We have not withdrawn or confiscated any charcoal bags from those selling in our city."
At that time, he claimed the strategy was to enforce a mandatory sale at the official price of 70 pesos per kilogram, compared to the 3,500 to 4,000 pesos on the black market, rather than seizing the production.
The event in Camalote is not isolated. In Guáimaro, another municipality in Camagüey, police and forest rangers fined artisanal charcoal producers attempting to produce or sell marabou charcoal to alleviate local shortages, also in June.
The Broader Crisis of Charcoal in Cuba
Charcoal has become the de facto cooking fuel for millions of Cuban families due to the collapse of electricity supply and the disappearance of liquefied gas from formal markets. The price of a 20-kilogram bag skyrocketed from between 900 and 1,400 pesos at the end of 2024 to between 3,200 and 5,000 pesos across various provinces, an amount that can represent nearly half of a Cuban worker's monthly salary.
Ironically, while individuals like Ramón Oro face the loss of their only livelihood, a company in Camagüey exported over 150 tons of charcoal to Europe in the first quarter of this year alone, with an annual target of 4,000 tons, according to official reports.
Key Questions About the Charcoal Crisis in Cuba
Why was Ramón Oro's charcoal production confiscated?
Authorities and police claimed intimidation and seized his entire production, despite previous allowances to sell surplus charcoal.
How has the charcoal crisis impacted Cuban households?
Many Cuban families rely on charcoal for cooking due to the collapse of electric and gas supplies, leading to a surge in charcoal prices that strains household budgets.
What is the contradiction between the official stance and what happened to Ramón Oro?
While officials denied confiscating charcoal, claiming they enforced sales at official prices, Ramón Oro's experience of complete seizure contradicts these statements.