US Sanctions Impact Cuba Shortages: Daily Life Worsens

• Cuban schools recently reopened for 1.4 million children and 135,000 teachers, despite severe fuel, water, and power shortages.
• The previous academic year concluded a month early in June due to deepening national crises.
• Persistent shortages are attributed by Cuban officials to a U.S. oil embargo and longstanding sanctions.
• Teacher coverage has fallen to 73% nationwide, leading to the relocation of over 3,000 educators and a public appeal for volunteers.
• Families face daily challenges, including reliance on borrowed animals for transport and community efforts to provide school meals amidst limited supplies.

Persistent power, water, and fuel shortages, exacerbated by a U.S. oil embargo and longstanding sanctions, have deepened the island's crises.

Schools across Cuba recently commenced a new academic year, with over 10,000 institutions opening their doors to an estimated 1.4 million children and more than 135,000 teachers. This reopening follows a challenging period, as the previous school year concluded a month early in June due to multiple crises impacting the island. The nation's education minister described the resumption of classes as a "heroic act," acknowledging the significant hurdles faced by a system historically celebrated as a hallmark of the 1959 revolution.

Daily life for Cuban families reflects the severity of these conditions. For instance, one family, the Barrosos, relied on a borrowed horse and cart to transport their daughters to school on the first day, as their own horse had recently been stolen and killed for food, and school buses were not operational. Many children, including the Barroso sisters, prepared for school in the dark, using cell phone lights or rechargeable bulbs, with some even sleeping outdoors due to suffocating conditions inside their homes after rechargeable fans failed.

The persistent shortages of fuel, water, and electricity are significantly exacerbated by a U.S. oil embargo and longstanding sanctions, according to Cuban officials. This external pressure is cited as a primary factor contributing to the island's deepening crises. President Miguel Díaz-Canel, commenting on the school reopening, stated on X that it was an achievement "the empire sought to prevent with its plan of strangulation."

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez echoed these sentiments, asserting that "No energy blockade, threats, intensified embargo, or secondary sanctions will prevent us from continuing to preserve and develop the achievements of the Revolution, attained under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz." These statements underscore the Cuban government's perspective that U.S. policies are directly impacting the nation's ability to provide essential services and maintain its social programs.

The education sector is grappling with a severe lack of resources, extending beyond basic utilities. A widespread shortage of teachers has resulted in coverage falling to 73% across the island. To address this, more than 3,000 educators were relocated from Cuba's eastern provinces to schools in Havana. The vacancies are attributed to low salaries and emigration, prompting Education Minister Naima Trujillo Barreto to issue a public appeal for assistance from university students, professionals, and retirees.

In response to this call, individuals like Sura Victorero Llerena, a librarian who retired this year after 39 years of service, have returned to their former schools to help. The scarcity also extends to school essentials: uniforms were largely unavailable at the start of the academic year, meeting only 12% of primary-level demand. Trujillo Barreto explained that manufacturing is hindered by a lack of electricity for workshops, fuel for fabric transport, and funds for importing materials, though students are permitted to wear comfortable clothing as long as they don their traditional kerchiefs.

Beyond staffing and supplies, food provision for students also presents a significant challenge. Parents and individuals in the private sector are now expected to contribute to school meals, with state media reporting that some schools possess only a 15-day supply of food. This reliance on community support highlights the broader economic difficulties facing the nation.

The collective effort to sustain the education system, despite the severe constraints, is framed by officials as a testament to national resilience. Students, upon entering their schools, participate in a ritual of saluting the Cuban flag and singing the national anthem, which includes the line: “To die for one’s country is to live.” This symbolic act reinforces a narrative of perseverance in the face of what one mother, Leanete Barroso, described as the "most disastrous" academic year.

Source: Reporting based on Associated Press coverage