Havana/The authorities were seized from more than seven tons of food in customs in just eight months, those that go from April to December 2024. 280,000 units of cleaning products and 760 drug tables such as the fruit of the controls such as the fruit of the controls such as the fruit of the controls are joined that are made on the border to verify that the regulations are met when it comes to freely importing these products for non -commercial purposes.
Jenisley Ortiz Mantecón, Vice Minister of Finance and Prices, was interviewed This Wednesday at the news To give more details about the extension, approved a day laterto the free import of these goods, as well as that of electric plants. In the case of food, cleaning and medication products, the measure began in 2021, a few days after the anti -government protests that took thousands of Cubans to the streets to ask for a change that improves their living conditions, economically struck even more beaten by pandemia.
At that time it was announced that the decision was exceptional and would last six months. However, the extensions were successive with some variations and for six months, while the economic conditions of the country required, the authorities of the Ministry of Finance and Prices in the pertinent official gacetas warned. In August 2022, in the midst of a blackout season that was then considered unsustainable and has only worsened in the subsequent two years, the tax -free import measure was extended to the electric plants. Both have been renewed together, although since 2024 the extensions are quarterly, a situation that generates uncertainty to Cubans, pending every little measures that do not understand why review.
“Why only three more months? If the country’s situation will not yet improve, why bureaucratism? ”A user in networks reacted.
“Why only three more months? If the country’s situation will not yet improve, why bureaucratism? ”A user on networks reacted
“It’s like having the Cuban in check,” another replied, “because we all know the problems with electricity generation, the lack of financing for the purchase of raw materials for the production of the basic medication frame, we all know that there is no Food production, and that a flattering immediate future is not glimpsed. So why wear ourselves in three months to meet again to re -address other deadlines? I am from the criterion that when this is suspended, then the management will be uncontrollable. ”
Ortiz Mantecón, which on television explained the chronology of tax exemptions, wanted to make it clear that the government is renouncing an important source of income with these measures that already last more than three and a half years. “Let us remember that this is a fiscal benefit that has certain sacrifices for the State Budget because we are renouncing the collection of tariffs for the importation of these goods and raw materials,” he said.
The Government is aware, however, and although he did not say it – of the discomfort that would generate the suppression of these facilities that, in addition, have already been consolidated. Particularly in a panorama in which not only is no improvement glimpses, but it seems that everything will be worse, in large part because the lack of energy radically prevents the recovery of any industrial capacity that was on the island.
Sometimes the same product is repeatedly imported, which “distorts the nature of this import”, suggesting that it ceases to be for personal use when a very frequently allowed amount is brought
However, the seizures have occurred high, due to the violation of the norms. Specifically, Ortiz Mantecón cited two irregularities that have been observed over time “often associated with the weight of the articles already certain limits that are established according to that non -commercial import.” In addition, he said that sometimes the same product is repeatedly imported, which “distorts the nature of this import”, suggesting that it ceases to be for personal use when a very frequently allowed amount is brought.
But for what cannot be detected on the border, the vice minister asks for help to the population. “It is not just a work of the General Customs of the Republic, it is about strengthening our institutional control mechanisms, say of all those organisms and local governments that, in one way or another we participate, in ensuring that the measures and measures and decisions that are made are executed. There is a great challenge in this topic of control and it is about involving all factors, ”he said.
In addition, he admitted that it is precisely on many occasions the complaint of the population that uncovers whether or not someone trades with the products he introduced for alleged personal use. “We have the perception that there is more popular participation. In fact, we receive in the institutional channels of communication of the Ministry specific denunciations of the population about deviations that occur in this type of product and that I believe that they should be addressed more force ”.
