Esteban Lazo explodes over food shortages in Cuba: “How long?”

Esteban Laso HernandezThe President of the National People’s Power Council (ANPP) this Tuesday spoke strongly to the representatives of the Agri-Food Commission, demanding from them fewer plans, actions, studies, diagnoses and more results: Increase in production and more food for people.

On a day it is confirmed The failure of the Food Sovereignty ActApproved a year ago, the highest-ranking figure in the Cuban parliament has made no secret of his discomfort.

“The government agency is not fulfilling its role. All you have explained are implementations…I have yet to hear about the results. Where is the end of it all? “Strength is what is agreed upon,” Lazo lamented.

At another point in his speech, Lazo Hernandez recalled that The country has no money to import food and practically 100 percent of the household basket today is imported. This refers to the years before the epidemic when rice, beans, pork and milk production were high.

“Six years ago, Cuba was able to produce 400,000 tons of rice, almost 50% of the basket. In 2017, we produced 200,000 tons of pork; 600 million liters of milk… Now all this depends on imports, there is no money in the country to import, and today we have a serious situation.

“We are already very tired of programs, activities, studies, diagnoses … And where is the truth? Where is the solution to the problem?He questioned.

“We are still debating whether it was well implemented, not well implemented, whether it was well discussed in the municipalities and not well discussed. How much longer are we going to stay that way?”, concluded the President of the Cuban Parliament, dissatisfied with the poor results shown in the meeting.

“Neither the independent media nor an opponent said it, but Esteban Lazo, the president of the National Assembly of People’s Power”Independent Media noted on Twitter touching.

As a result of the lack of implementation of Law 148/2022 (Law on Food Sovereignty and Nutrition Security), Lazo insisted on increasing national food production and reducing imports. It calls for a revolution in agricultural production.

“You have to go to the solution of the problems,” he said at a working meeting at the Havana Convention Center ahead of the regular session of parliament from July 20 to 22.

The delegation was confronted with a report on the situation of the mango harvest in Havana, which was affected by factors such as lack of product, lack of fuel, preservatives and packaging. The Speaker pointed out that there is a lack of structure, vision, demand and efficiency, not just in this order.

“What happens in mango can be what happens in other foods like rice or butter,” he said, “There should be more ideas, and there should be a proactive attitude, regret to find a solution,” he added, adding that “there are places where results can be achieved, they don’t get fertilizers, but they don’t come into the municipality.

“Yes you can is not a phrase, it’s a way of dealing with problems”The president of the Cuban Parliament concluded, stressing many times that he would only get out of the current crisis by producing more food.