The Food Monitor Program (FMP), an NGO, has raised concerns that humanitarian aid sent from Mexico to Cuba in 2026 ended up being sold in state-run stores in Moneda Libremente Convertible (MLC), making it inaccessible to the most vulnerable citizens.
On April 9, FMP released Press Note No. 45, detailing their findings based on field monitoring and citizen testimonies from Havana, Artemisa, and Mayabeque.
The controversy was sparked by the decision of the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) to classify details about the management, composition, and destination of 3,125 tons of food and medicine sent to Cuba in four maritime shipments between February and March of this year as confidential for five years. This decision was reportedly requested by Miguel Díaz-Canel’s government via a verbal diplomatic note to prevent potential boycotts by dissident groups.
Concerns Over Transparency and Accountability
FMP warns that this classification effectively removes the traceability of resources by withholding public information on inventories, distribution routes, or final beneficiaries.
Back in March, Mexican television network TV Azteca documented the sale of beans labeled as "frijol del bienestar" or La Merced brand—packaged in 30-kilogram sacks—in state-run stores for dollars, with prices reaching $43 per sack at wholesalers and $2.97 per half kilo in retail outlets.
Residents in Matanzas and Las Tunas reported that previously empty stores were suddenly stocked after the arrival of Mexican shipments.
Government Denial and Historical Patterns
The Cuban regime, through the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) and its ambassador in Mexico, denied the allegations, labeling them as false, and claimed that the distribution was free and strictly controlled.
FMP notes that such patterns are not unprecedented. Similar issues have been reported in previous cycles, including the commercialization of supplies linked to the World Food Program (WFP) in 2021 and 2025, in contexts where lack of public information prevents verification of aid distribution.
In 2021, following the July 11 protests, Mexico sent over 1,800 tons of humanitarian aid to Cuba, and Mexican beans once again appeared in MLC stores; CIMEX denied at the time that they were part of the donation.
The World Food Program has acknowledged that administrative and logistical constraints of the Cuban state have hindered the implementation of its programs, including the non-utilization of resources allocated for technical assistance in previous cycles.
Impact on Cuban Population
All of this unfolds amidst a severe food crisis. According to FMP's 2025 Food Security Survey, conducted with 2,703 households across all provinces, 10% of the Cuban population goes to bed hungry, while 77% feel that the political elite do not face the hunger experienced by the rest of the nation.
FMP concludes that aid lacking external audits, transparency in supply chains, and access to verifiable information ceases to function as a relief mechanism and can lead to the discretionary management of resources intended for the survival of the vulnerable population.
FAQs on Mexican Humanitarian Aid to Cuba
What is the Food Monitor Program (FMP)?
The Food Monitor Program (FMP) is an NGO that monitors food security and reports on issues related to aid distribution and transparency in Cuba.
Why is the Mexican aid to Cuba controversial?
The controversy arises from allegations that Mexican humanitarian aid is being sold in Cuban MLC stores, rather than reaching the vulnerable population as intended.
How has the Cuban government responded to these allegations?
The Cuban government, through its Ministry of Domestic Trade and ambassador in Mexico, has denied the allegations and asserted that the aid distribution was free and tightly controlled.