(Photo courtesy of The Reall Cuba)

SANTIAGO OF CUBA, 25 of July (Yolireidi Herrera/APLO) the traditional santiaguero carnival east year has been baptized, like the carnival of the sadness. The streets are practically empty and the people ramble like zombis, as if they needed the will to express what they take on the inside.

The main attires of these popular celebrations are the spirits and music. The drinks do not have popular prices, and this year became to raise the price to him. The well-known beer like given, that is to say, the one that is distributed in small compressed containers, has strong of a 6 pesos disposable glass of 6 ounces. The prepared beer has a price of 6 pesos the unit, but to pains it obtains, because the great majority is turned aside towards the black market.

Music is another one of the great problems, the santiagueros carnivals always were brightened up with the orchestras and national groupings. This year local groups have only seen themselves. The exodus towards the foreigner of the best interpreters of the Cuban pop music, us has practically left orphaned of the joy.

The food is a disaster. The regulations on the sale have been terrible, nothing can be sold that contains homemade mayonnaise, nor products of the sea or meats prohibited like the one of head of cattle, horse and until the one of chicken, because it is not possible to justify his origin. The state establishments to pains must supply, but they do when it, a cardboard small box with a ration of rice congris and a slug, like of two ounces, chicken $ 6,60 MN. The cuentapropistas (private retailers) sell the plate generally to 20 Pesos Cubano, but the quality and the amount are far beyond the one that sells to the State. The plate can contain rice congris, different types from viandas, vegetable salad and the corresponding meat. During the day they sell pizzas and bocaditos of filthy roast, but they are practically a robbery, as soon as the meat in the very small bread can be seen supplies that them.

In spite of the popular downheart, the police unfolding on has been determine the proportions. The smaller disturbance is repressed immediately with violence, during congas have been used even suffocating gases, traditional the Tonfas and until the Trucutús calls, (rustic wood pieces) preparations to finish trancazo clean any popular insubordination.

The authorities show that everything must to the lack of resources, but the great majority of the population that pronounces itself on the matter, says that was better had not given it, that the town does not deserve itself that they sell that beer to him that is pure vinegar and in addition to prices so lifted. Also the food and the strong ones complain, because in the carnivals often the population mitigates its anxieties to consume one more a worthier food.