Arequipa, Peru – the Cuban regime received a donation of 10,000 tons of rice from Vietnam on Saturday, in compliance with the agreements established during the visit to the island of the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam, to LAM, in September 2024.
This cargo arrives in Cuba in the middle of a context of high food shortage and supply crisis that affects the distribution of basic products throughout the country.
A state report Caribbean channel He also announced the donation of another 1,500 tons of this cereal, on behalf of the Victor Minister of Vietnam, Ho Duc PHOC.
During the official delivery ceremony of the donation, held this Saturday at Mariel’s container terminal, Le Can, Vietnam’s Vice Minister of Finance participated; Le Quang Long, Vietnam Ambassador to Cuba; Déborah Rivas Saavedra, Cuban Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment; Aracelys Cardoso Hernández, Vice Minister of Internal Commerce, and Ana Teresa Igarza Martínez, general director of the Office of the Special Zone of Development Mariel.
Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Finance, Le so Can, reiterated the will of the Vietnam government to continue expanding and strengthening economic, commercial and investment relations with the Castro regime.
“Vietnam will continue to support Cuba in the production of rice, to contribute to the food security of the Caribbean country,” said Le Can.
“Once again Vietnam tends our hand in difficult times (…) This rice donation is a sample of the special nature of the links between Cuba and Vietnamthis cereal being an essential element of the food of the Cuban people, ”said the Cuban Vice Minister of Internal Trade.
Last February, the lack of rice on the island reached some of its strongest points, which further complicated the maltrecha diet of the Cubans, who are forced to get the grain by non -state channels.
In recent months, the Creole rice- fangy, according to consumers- does not fall from 250 pesos per pound, while the kilogram of long grain slopes, slopes, In the MSMEsbetween 700 and one thousand pesos, according to the country of origin. Brazilian rice remains the most expensive, followed by Uruguayan and Mexican. In several Havana establishments, rice of Thai, Turkish and American origin are also marketed, at equally high prices.
Ana Teresa Igarza Martínez, general director of the Office of the Special Development Zone Mariel, offered this weekend to the Vietnamese delegation an update of the businesses and projects established in the business enclave.
In that sense, he highlighted the participation of Vietnam as the main investor of Asia in Cuba, with seven businesses, in sectors such as light industry, the production of fertilizers and food, as well as renewable energies.
The Cuban authorities said that the 10,000 tons of rice will be distributed through the Cuban Internal Commerce Network.
