The Cuban singer-songwriter Descemer Bueno has fiercely reacted to recent remarks made by Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva regarding the hunger crisis in Cuba. Bueno's response was prompted by Lula's comments on the issue.
The musician expressed his views in a Facebook reply to a post by CiberCuba, which covered Lula's statements. In his response, Bueno challenged Lula's interpretation of the root causes of the food crisis on the island. He argued that the internal restrictions imposed by the Cuban government are what prevent the populace from acquiring or producing food.
"Tell this fool we are not even allowed to fish to eat fish, it's that simple," the artist wrote, directly addressing the politician, a long-time ally of the Cuban regime.
Descemer listed several limitations faced by Cuban citizens in accessing or producing food on their own. "We can't slaughter a cow that we don't have because it's prohibited," he highlighted, referring to the legal restrictions on cattle farming and beef processing in Cuba.
The singer also shared personal experiences, stating that even his attempts to initiate agricultural projects have been met with resistance. "I once tried to set up a plantation to help the town, and they sent a rapid response brigade," he recounted, alluding to the regime-organized groups mobilized to confront situations deemed problematic by authorities.
He concluded his remarks by urging for the truth to be told to those who, in his view, spread a false narrative about the Cuban reality. "Tell these liars," he added at the end of his post.
Descemer's comments were made in reaction to statements by Lula during the opening of the 39th Regional Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Brasilia.
During the event, the South American leader argued that Cuba's hunger crisis is not due to an inability to produce food or energy but rather because of external restrictions. "Cuba is not starving because it does not know how to produce or generate energy. Cuba is starving because it is denied access to things everyone should have the right to," Lula stated.
He used the Cuban case to critique international leaders who, he claimed, allocate significant resources to military expenditure instead of prioritizing the fight against hunger. Lula also compared Cuba's situation to that of Haiti, suggesting that if some governments refuse to support Cuba for ideological reasons—as it is a communist nation—they should at least assist Haiti, which he described as a gang-ridden, impoverished country with similar hunger levels.
His comments came amid Cuba's severe energy and economic crisis, marked by fuel shortages, prolonged blackouts, and increasing scarcity of food and basic goods. Lula attributed the worsening situation to measures implemented by the Trump administration.
On January 29, Trump signed an executive order threatening tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, citing the island as a threat to U.S. national security. The energy pressure mounted days earlier, on January 3, when Washington announced the cessation of Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba following a military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Following this action, Trump urged the Cuban government to negotiate with the United States "before it’s too late."
Key Insights into Cuba's Food and Energy Crisis
What did Descemer Bueno criticize about Lula's statements?
Descemer Bueno criticized Lula for misinterpreting the causes of Cuba's food crisis, asserting that internal government restrictions, not external sanctions, prevent Cubans from producing or accessing food.
How did the Trump administration impact Cuba's energy crisis?
The Trump administration intensified Cuba's energy crisis by signing an executive order threatening tariffs on oil suppliers to Cuba and halting Venezuelan oil shipments, which exacerbated fuel shortages and blackouts on the island.