Peace in the shop on Melones de Luyanó street, in Havana, where, after the death of an old manon November 1, a network of corruption was uncovered between employees and colerosIt hasn’t lasted long.
The first, say the residents of the neighborhood, had a team of 15 people who were allowed to buy what they wanted and who brought them lunch, coffee, soft drinks, snacks. After the scandal, new agents from the “fight against coleros” (LCC) group were sent to the establishment who, at least on the first day, made it clear, with a sermon before the crowd, that they were “impenetrable” to corruption, that they refrain from trying to bribe them with gifts.
“In the wake of explodeat the end of last week, did not see coleros around the store, but on Tuesday they began to come out of their caves,” says María, who has suffered from the shortage and corruption on Melones Street for months. The same as always” took the first 20 shifts and the people who had been there since dawn began to protest. Without success: “When the LCC begin to collect notebooks, the ‘coleros’ make a mess of them. Most of the queue doesn’t say anything to them because they’re older people who don’t want to deal with those kinds of elements.”
To make matters worse, they almost have to regret another life: an old lady fainted in the middle of the crowd and had to be attended by a doctor. “At least the two of them were given the opportunity to buy ahead of time.”
“When the LCCs start collecting notebooks, the ‘coleros’ make fun of them. Most of the line doesn’t say anything to them because they are older people”
Another day, when sausages were put up for sale, people revolted when they were informed that only 50 units would be sold. The neighbors say that someone called the authorities, that a policeman “disrespected a young man” and that both “got involved with punches.”
María cannot explain why barely a week has passed since the operation and the authorities are once again turning a blind eye to the “irregularities.” “How is it possible, if the laws say that you can only buy through your nucleus, and you have to have the identity card of that nucleus, and they are buying at all times, everyone knows them.”
Local residents infer that the coleros they operate with what they call “rented notebooks”: someone leaves their notebook in exchange for them keeping half of the products; thus, they explain, they guarantee at least the other half.
In the “picadillo” queue, a lieutenant had to come to help with the organization together with one of the new LCCs and one of the neighbors complained about the situation with the intimidating hoarders: “And you are afraid, but what are you afraid of? Take them out yourselves, don’t let them in!”, reproduces María. “People said: well, but if they are the police and they don’t get involved and they know those who are sneaking in, how are they sending older people to confront them?”
“Tremendous snitching is what’s here!” says María, who shouted one of those “elements” that everyone knows.
The residents of the place infer that the coleros operate with what they call “rented notebooks”: someone leaves their notebook in exchange for keeping half of the products
At another point, he narrates, an official arrived, “someone from the government who arrived in one of those moticoes, went into the store for a while and then they all came out laughing.” It seems, Maria points out sarcastically, that “the impenetrable have already been penetrated.”
Even if they don’t speak out loud, says the woman, everyone in the neighborhood is clear about it. “Everyone leaves upset saying how is this, that it’s always the same, people insult each other,” says a nurse who had left her guard to try to catch a puppy. “In the end, the situation is taking on the same nuance as with the other group.”
This Friday, one of the three days of the week that chicken “comes in”, chaos broke out again in the line at the Melones store, and, once again, the Police had to bring order. Maria still doesn’t buy this week her packet Chicken: “What difference does it make if they change the teams, if the problem of corruption with the LCC is going to be the same”.
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