CUBAN MISERY REPORT

(GUANTANAMO, CUBA, December 2001) - Residents of the towns of Maquey and Maqueisito complain of the extreme poverty they are living in, wherein hunger and extreme misery make their mark on these two marginal towns.

From an early age, children have to collect wooden sticks in order to help their parents make charcoal ovens in order sustain their families.

By the time some of the products, such as picadillo, from the small family rations reach these people it smells bad, they do not receive eggs nor do they receive fish.

In spite of being in an area which could distribute fish, the citizen that is caught fishing is fined with exuberant fines of up to $5 000.00, national currency.

Situations such as these expose the deceitful campaign of the Cuban government regarding its claim that there is no misery or poverty in any of the Cuban towns, when the truth is many of the citizens in Cuba, on repeated occasions go to sleep without eating.

Reported, Ferdinando Castro de Lardiller, Delegate in Guantánamo, of the Democratic Party November 30 “Frank País.” For the Information Bridge Cuba Miami. Given on December 2001.