The Adventure of Opening an Account in Cuba in MLC (Hard Currency)

14ymedio, Elías Amor Bravo, Economist, July 26, 2020 – Imagine that you’re going to your bank to open an account. One of the simplest operations in any country in the world. You really could save yourself the trouble, if you want, because online banks offer a way to do that. In Cuba, it’s more complicated, … Continue reading “The Adventure of Opening an Account in Cuba in MLC (Hard Currency)”

Cimex and Caribe Will Open Dollar Stores in All Cuban Provinces

Instead of coins, customers who pay with cash must accept their change in the form of candies or ‘other products available by the cash registers’ 14ymedio, Madrid, 30 January 2025 — The military conglomerate Gaesa plans to progressively expand trade in dollars to a large number of establishments in its network through Tiendas Caribe and … Continue reading “Cimex and Caribe Will Open Dollar Stores in All Cuban Provinces”

The Cuban Regime Is Dollarizing the Economy To Capture ‘The Foreign Currency That Is Currently Being Moved Illegally’

Prime Minister Marrero asked that the Government have control over the foreign currency and be the one to put it “in function of the well-being of the population” 14ymedio, Madrid, 8 January 2024 — Cuba’s Prime Minister put on paper on Tuesday the government plan that  in recent days has everyone talking on the street, … Continue reading “The Cuban Regime Is Dollarizing the Economy To Capture ‘The Foreign Currency That Is Currently Being Moved Illegally’”

Like Zombies, Cuban Smokers Look for Affordable Cigarettes in the Midst of Inflation

The customers, with the anxiety of those who cannot contain themselves before the image of their desires, raised their eyebrows and pursed their lips when the saleswoman answered their questions 14ymedio, Natalia López Moya, Havana, 9 January 2024 — In the movie Juan de los Muertos [Juan of the Dead], the zombies who wander the … Continue reading “Like Zombies, Cuban Smokers Look for Affordable Cigarettes in the Midst of Inflation”

Cuban Government Opens a High-End Supermarket that Only Accepts Dollars in Cash or Card

The move is a sign that “dollarization” of the economy — something Prime Minister Manuel Marrero has spoken about— is going ahead along with the end of the MLC 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez/Olea Gallardo, Havana, 3 January 2024 — The new 3rd and 70th Supermarket, which opened on Tuesday on the ground floor of the … Continue reading “Cuban Government Opens a High-End Supermarket that Only Accepts Dollars in Cash or Card”

Cuban Military from Gaesa Partner with the Spanish Vima in Another Dollarized Store

Customers can pay with MLC, but employees suggest that they are going to remove this option 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodriguez/Olea Gallardo, Havana, 6 January 2025  –Although it has not attracted as much attention as the Supermarket on 3rd and 70th, which opened a day later, the store on Infanta and Santa Marta in Havana is … Continue reading “Cuban Military from Gaesa Partner with the Spanish Vima in Another Dollarized Store”

Cuban Women Spend up to 30 Percent of Their Salary on Buying ‘Intimate’ Personal Hygiene Products

’Girón’, the official newspaper of Matanzas, criticizes the fact that menstrual pads are sold in hard currency when there are none in pesos in pharmacies 14ymedio, 20 December 2024 — A video published this Friday by Girón, the Matanzas newspaper, aims to give a panoramic view of the cost of menstruating in Cuba, according to … Continue reading “Cuban Women Spend up to 30 Percent of Their Salary on Buying ‘Intimate’ Personal Hygiene Products”

Lacking Tasty Food and Electricity, Dinos Pizza in Cienfuegos Puts Tables Outside To Attract Customers

14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Cienfuegos, 7 December 2024 — The strategy of some state-run businesses in the city of Cienfuegos, which, in the absence of appetizing dishes, seek to attract customers by extending service beyond their walls, is similar to the joke repeated decades ago by Cuban comedian Chaflán. When a wife suggests to her … Continue reading “Lacking Tasty Food and Electricity, Dinos Pizza in Cienfuegos Puts Tables Outside To Attract Customers”

With the Decision To Ban Wholesale Trade by Private Companies, Cuba’s ‘Honeymoon With MSMEs Is Over’

The Government publishes a new decree that increases the restrictions initiated last August 14ymedio, Havana, 5 December 2024 — The Cuban government took another step on Thursday in the restrictions on business freedom initiated with the mega package of measures issued last August . A resolution published in the Official Gazette establishes what is called … Continue reading “With the Decision To Ban Wholesale Trade by Private Companies, Cuba’s ‘Honeymoon With MSMEs Is Over’”

In Holguín, Cuba, the Windows of Hard Currency Stores Are Kept Covered for Fear of Being Stoned

“We Holguin residents are such that if they prick us we don’t even bleed” 14ymedio, Miguel García, Holguín, 25 October 2024 — Although the people of Holguín only have memories of October’s Hurricane Oscar, the El Nickel store, located at the intersection of Frexes and Máximo Gómez streets, still has its windows covered with panels. … Continue reading “In Holguín, Cuba, the Windows of Hard Currency Stores Are Kept Covered for Fear of Being Stoned”

Eyeglasses, Another Problem Cubans ‘Resolve’ Thanks to ‘Families in the Exterior’

In Cienfuegos you can only find material of dubious quality or at impossible prices in the private shops 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Cienfuegos, 7 November 2024 — In Cienfuegos, optometrists are as scarce as the eyeglasses themselves. Plastic frames of poor quality from a dollar store in Miami is the most that those who are … Continue reading “Eyeglasses, Another Problem Cubans ‘Resolve’ Thanks to ‘Families in the Exterior’”

“Anyone Who Depends on the ‘Basic Family Basket’ in Cienfuegos Cannot Bathe”

Deodorant, toothpaste and other basic necessities are available only in private stores and shops that take foreign currency 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Cienfuegos, 19 October 2024 — Anyone who wishes to purchase personal hygiene products in Cienfuegos at a reasonable price will have to travel the whole city without the guarantee of obtaining what they … Continue reading ““Anyone Who Depends on the ‘Basic Family Basket’ in Cienfuegos Cannot Bathe””

Cuba: Cienfuegos’ Imago Shopping Center Does Not Even Have Water

Shelves are empty at the hard-currency stores managed by the military-run CIMEX corporation. 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Cienfuegos, 9 October 2024 — “I’m on my break now. I came here hoping to buy a beverage of some kind as a pick-me-up but the staff at Cafe Cubita told me they don’t even have drinking water,” … Continue reading “Cuba: Cienfuegos’ Imago Shopping Center Does Not Even Have Water”

‘The Farmers We Treated at the Hospital Are Now Our Suppliers’

 Fernando and Odalis gave up medicine to open a restaurant in Cienfuegos 14ymedio, Julio César Contreras, Cienfuegos, 22 September 2024 – Odalis, a 55-year-old from Cienfuegos, has not worked as a surgeon for eight years. Instead, she started a restaurant with her husband, Fernando, also a doctor. “When I returned from my mission in Africa, … Continue reading “‘The Farmers We Treated at the Hospital Are Now Our Suppliers’”

The ‘Chinese Costco’ Arrives in Cuba and Everything Has Ridiculous Prices

The gigantic China Import warehouse opens in Havana, for minimum purchases of 50 dollars and in national currency 14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez/Olea Gallardo, Havana, 22 August 2024 — The new China Import store that opened just over a month ago at Manglar and Oquendo, very close to the Cuatro Caminos market in Havana, does not … Continue reading “The ‘Chinese Costco’ Arrives in Cuba and Everything Has Ridiculous Prices”