AREQUIPA, Peru – The Cuban regime regretted this Saturday “considerable damage” in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), located in the west of the Island, due to the impact of Hurricane Rafael last Wednesday.
“We can say that the damage is considerable. Already within the recovery program, we will begin with the resuscitation of the yard in blocks, to make way for the activation of the terminal as soon as possible, and activate the delivery of container goods by door,” said José Leonardo Sosa Barrios, director attached container terminal.
A official newspaper report Granma includes the statements of the manager, who added that, within the building, they will work on the relocation of the areas, with the aim of maintaining, in this first stage, the operational vitality of the Terminal.
The main damage was detected on roofs, walls and facades of facilities such as the Guajaibón Photovoltaic Solar Park and the Suchel tbv Detergent Factory, both of the Vietnamese group Thai Binh.
“The hurricane took away part of the raw materials warehouse and the finished products warehouse, and also the roof of the towers,” said one of the Vietnamese workers.
“The diaper factory, which is located opposite the detergent factory, has similar damage. We put all our efforts to be able to finish the recovery within 14 days,” said Tu Tranh, president of Thai Binh Group.
On the other hand, the Brascuba cigarette factory in the ZEDM had one of the most severe effectsdetails the report from the official press.
Robinson Tamayo González, co-president of Brascuba SA, commented that “the roof of the cigarette production workshop was raised,” where all the cigarette production machines are located.
“Almost 40% of the roof was lifted, causing the machines to get wet and, although it is not completely uncovered, all the finished product, from previous days, is in perfect condition, as the warehouse was not damaged. We have hard days left, assessing damage, recovering, working on the mechanical part, on the electronic part of the machines, but we are going to get up,” the leader highlighted.
Since the announcement of its creation in the 2000s, the Cuban regime has publicized the ZEDM as a fundamental enclave that would result in economic development of the Island. Ultimately, the project has been one of the most spectacular failures of Castroism.
Until July 2022, almost 10 years after its inauguration, the megaproject hosted 62 approved businesses, of which only 36 were operating.
