A truck loaded with chicken overturned on Monday in the Rio Piedras area of Guanabacoa, close to the intersection of Monumental with Santa María del Rosario Road. The incident, shared on social media by a user named Radimir Galán, fortunately resulted in no injuries, according to eyewitnesses. They also reported that the truck's cargo remained undamaged.
The accident involved a Freightliner truck, license plate B092299, manufactured by Daimler Truck North America LLC, which ended up on its left side, partially obstructing the road. Images circulating online show the large vehicle on a curve of a narrow and poorly paved road, suggesting that excessive speed, coupled with road conditions, might have contributed to the crash.
Several locals gathered at the scene, with some seemingly helping the driver siphon fuel from the truck's tanks. This incident takes place amid a backdrop where imported chicken is in high demand in Cuba, a country grappling with severe food shortages leading to long queues and irregular sales of this product.
In recent years, similar accidents have been reported, such as the truck overturning in Las Tunas in August 2021, and another one occurring as recently as January 2024 in the same province. Cuba imports thousands of tons of chicken annually from the United States, with nearly 170,000 tons shipped in the first months of 2024, according to official statistics. Economist Pedro Monreal noted that this figure is roughly equivalent to 6,800 containers, although both the value and tonnage are lower than the same period in 2023.
The heavy reliance on these imports, combined with distribution issues, has led to desperate scenes, such as massive lines in various provinces to purchase a pound of chicken. Meanwhile, the informal market has capitalized on the situation, with micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MIPYMES) selling boxes of chicken directly from containers on the streets, a practice that became widespread in cities like Havana. The Cuban regime recently curbed this with new regulations approved in December, restricting wholesale trade for MIPYMES.
Impact of Chicken Shortages in Cuba
What caused the truck to overturn in Guanabacoa?
The accident may have been caused by excessive speed combined with poor road conditions on a narrow and badly paved road.
How is the chicken shortage affecting Cuba?
The shortage has led to long queues and irregular sales, as well as an increased presence of informal markets where chicken is sold directly from containers.
What measures has the Cuban government taken regarding chicken trade?
In December, the Cuban government introduced new regulations to limit wholesale trade by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, aiming to control informal chicken sales.