The Ministry of Finance and Prices establishes a tax of 0.30 USD per liter for all alcohol imports.
14ymedio, March 19, 2026, Havana / Starting today, imported alcoholic beverages will have a special tax of 0.30 dollars per liter. This is established by the Official Gazette published this Wednesday, signed last March 6 by the Ministry of Finance and Prices.
The list of items subject to the new rate includes malt beers, ethyl alcohol of various strengths, whisky, rum, vodka, gin, liqueurs, and other spirits.
The measure has generated rejection among the population, as can be seen in reactions to the publication on social media, since it implies the inevitable increase in the price of alcoholic beverages for consumers.
In practice, an imported 355 ml can of beer could increase in price by about 50 pesos if purchased from an MSME [mipyme]*, taking into account the current price of the dollar on the informal market. According to statistics published by the Ministry of Public Health in 2022, around 73% of Cubans consume alcohol regularly.
The Ministry of Finance and Prices emphasizes in the resolution that the revenue obtained will go directly to the State Budget “for its redistribution through social spending programs in health, education, security, social assistance, and culture, among others.”
The measure has generated rejection among the population, since it implies the inevitable increase in the price of alcoholic beverages for consumers
Domestic production is excluded from the measure, where brands such as Bucanero and Parranda stand out, which could in theory benefit the local industry.
The tax will be applied to the tariff subheadings corresponding to these products and must be paid by both state entities and non-state economic actors that import them. The resolution is based on Decree Law 107 of April 2025 and entered into force on March 19, 2026.
Although the tax formally falls on importers, it will, as is natural, be passed on directly to consumers. A one-liter bottle could increase by at least 0.30 USD. In larger formats or sales in bars, the increase could accumulate significantly for logistical reasons.
The increase occurs in a context of limited access to imported alcoholic beverages, dependence on state stores and mipymes that sell in dollars, freely convertible currency (MLC), or their equivalent in Cuban pesos. A tax of 0.30 USD per liter may seem small, but it adds to high logistical costs and exchange rate volatility.
According to the National Office of Statistics and Information (Onei), alcoholic beverages and tobacco led price increases in 2025, with a year-on-year rise of 69.82%.
The informal foreign exchange market reflects a weakening of the Cuban peso, with the dollar surpassing 530 CUP at the end of March 2026. This, together with reduced imports by mipymes and the decline in tourism, contributes to a generalized increase in the price of imported products.
*Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises [mipyme in Spanish]
Translated by Regina Anavy
______________________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.