14ymedio, Havana, 11 March 2024 — On March 3rd, while one of the owners of the Media Luna ’mipyme’*, Fernando Javier Albán, was supposedly arrested for corruption or about to be, Cuba’s Vice Minister for Food Industry, Orlando Borrero, visited the agroindustrial company in Ciego de Ávila and went out of his way to praise the juice and preserves producer, for its technology as well as the quality and capacity of its production and health and safety of the work. “We need many Media Luna,” he insisted.
Despite having its production paralyzed while an audit was conducted, workers remains at the company’s facilities, as documented on their social media with abundant photos. Media Luna’s Facebook, X and Instagram accounts and even LinkedIn showed the hyperactivity of the mipyme, wehether it was receiving a visit from the authorities, pariticipating in an event as the juice purveyor for the tourism industry or treating its employees to a copious luncheon on March 8th, International Women’s Day.
According to journalist Mario Pentón of El Nuevo Herald, Albán was arrested around the time former Minister of Economy, Alejandro Gil Fernández, was relieved of his duties; he is now under investigation for unknown crimes, though the state-run press insinuates corruption. Sources close to the b