This week, a new corruption case in Cuba, at the government business sector level, was revealed by the official newspaper “Sancti Spiritus” “Escambray”, which revealed that more than 90 thousand liters of soy yoghurt should be distributed in a regulated manner to children and pregnant women. Women, and it ended up as feed for pigs on a private farm.
According to the information provided by the aforementioned halfThe embezzlement continued for eight long months, during the pandemic, in 2020. In August of that year, a shortage of 91,791 liters of soy yogurt was discovered and it was revealed that it had not been delivered to the beneficiary population.
The food, essential for pregnant women and minors, was part of an illegal operation carried out by managers and workers of the Rio Zaza dairy company, in Sancti Spiritus. The head of the warranty and services unit, together with other partners, changed the documents, transferred the product, and seized the income.
The report indicated that the trial included eight defendants, and their sentences ranged from six years in prison to deprivation of liberty for various periods. However, the situation shows the absence of internal control and massive corruption in some public sector companies.
Soy yogurt is for pigs, not for children and pregnant women
The leader of the group and director of the unit was the most punished, as he was sentenced to 6 years in prison and the confiscation of 19 animals. Although justice was achieved, Alberto Cañizares Rodriguez, the current general director of Rio Zaza, warned of instability in management positions and the risk of similar events recurring.
This manager involved in the crime even stored soy yoghurt in 24 pig feed tanks at the Gobo Dulce farm in that province. Documents and signatures were forged, they had a clearly defined conspiracy, and it only came to light eight months later.
But the punishment comes when some of the accused leave the country. In other words, corruption is rampant and “ordinary Cubans” continue to bear its consequences.