English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
14ymedio, Madrid, 21 January 2022 — As Cuba’s domestic soft drink manufacturing declined, the shelves of stores that only take payment in freely convertible currency (MLC) were stocked with similar but imported beverages. The complaint comes from the director of the mixed-ownership company — with a foreign partner — located in Pinar del Río Los … Continue reading “Dollar Store Imports Hurt Cuban Soft Drink Factory”
14ymedio, Havana, January 20th, 2022 — The five-year prison sentence, which the Provincial Tribunal of Sancti Spíritus announced against Leodán Pérez Colón was for “associating to commit a crime” and two counts of “contempt”; none of the charges were for throwing a rock at a store, explained his mother, Elizabeth Colón Peña, who attended the … Continue reading “Cuba: The Mother of a Young Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison Denies it Was for Throwing a Rock at a Store”
14ymedio, Madrid, 19 January 2022 — Three young people from Sancti Spíritus have been added to those sentenced to prison for acts linked to the July 11th (11J) protests in Cuba. The Provincial Court made public this Tuesday the sentences for Leodán Pérez Colón, who received 5 years in prison, Yoanderley Quesada, 2 years, and Yoel … Continue reading “Five Years in Prison for a Young Man from Sancti Spititus for Calling for the Resignation of Cuban President Diaz-Canel and Stoning a Store”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 20 December 2021 — “Without surprises and without coffee, we’re doing fine!” a man complained sarcastically on Monday morning, having come to the Sorpresas (Surprises) store in Carlos III Plaza in Central Havana, in search of a packet of coffee to take home. The establishment, specializing in selling Cubita brand … Continue reading “‘Surprises’, a Havana Store Selling in Dollars With Nothing to Sell”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 9 December 2021 — Two days before the end of the month of November, Pedro went to buy coffee at the bodega [ration store], but was very upset when they told him there was none. “No, there is no coffee now, you have to wait for it to come back … Continue reading “Coffee in Cuba? Not Even in the Dollar Stores”
14ymedio, Havana, 3 December 2021 — The Minister of Economy, Alejandro Gil Fernández, announced in the Council of Ministers this week that there will be a “lifting of all entities that sell in MLC (freely convertible currency) without authorization.” “It is not a decision of a company, from today to tomorrow, to put its sales … Continue reading “Cuban Governments Finds Several Stores Are Selling in Dollars Without Authorization”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 18 October 2021 — The long line to enter the central La Época store was barely moving this Saturday at noon on Calle San Nicolás y Concordia, in Centro Habana. Since nine in the morning, only 30 people had entered, because of the lack of a connection with the banks … Continue reading “Dollar Stores Suffer Problems Connecting with Banks in Cuba”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodriguez, Havana, 13 August 2021 — On Friday two competing events — the official celebration of what would have been Fidel Castro’s 95th birthday and a national strike called by the Cuban opposition — were overshadowed by something unexpected: the sudden return of scarce products to store shelves along with their usual … Continue reading “Ham and Tobacco Reappear in Havana Stores on Fidel Castro’s Birthday”
14ymedio, Natalia López, Moya, Havana, 3 June 2021 — On the island of cigars and cigar rag (cut tobacco), Cubans find themselves with the dilemma of acquiring packs of cigarettes on the black market or buying them in stores in freely convertible currency (MLC). In state stores and cafeterias, where this product is marketed in … Continue reading “Like Coffee and Rum, Tobacco Disappears from Stores in Cuban Pesos”
14ymedio, Natalia López Moya, Havana, 21 May 2021 — One day, they close due to a supposed renovation or the need to take inventory, and weeks later they open in another currency. That is the story of many neighborhood stores that have gone from selling in Cuban pesos to offering their products in freely convertible … Continue reading “Little by Little, The Dollar is Imposed on Neighborhood Stores in Cuba”
14ymedio, Mercedes García, Sancti Spíritus, 24 May 2021 — Faces glued to the windows and eyebrows raised after reading the prices, is the reaction of many residents of the city of Sancti Spíritus when they pass in front of the Quinto Siglo store, the most recent of the markets in that province that has switched from … Continue reading “Cuba: The Hard Currency Store in Sancti Spiritus Hasn’t Opened Yet and There is Already a Line”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 10 May 2021 — From the outside it still looks the same, but inside the Plaza de Carlos III a silent battle is taking place. On the one hand, the best-stocked stores that accept payment only in foreign currency, and on the other, a few stores that still sell in … Continue reading “A Cuban Enters a ‘Dollar Store’ For the First Time and is Frightened”
14ymedio, Havana, April 20, 2021 — The shortage of basic necessities endemic to peso stores is also affecting retail businesses where customers need freely convertible foreign currency, known locally as MLC, to make purchases. Long lines from one day to the next and empty shelves are constants in these stores that sell in dollars. Less … Continue reading “Cuba: Even the Stores That Operate Only in Dollars Have Nothing to Sell”
14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 15 March 2021 — Not a year has passed since their opening and the stores that sell food and cleaning products in foreign currency are already going through a crisis. Little supply and very long lines mark the days in the most criticized shops in the country, the only ones, however, that still … Continue reading “Even the Stores Selling in Dollars are in Crisis in Cuba”
14ymedio, Havana, 20 December 2020 — As he leaves the store, he passes the magnetic card to his sister who is still waiting in line. Not only do they share the form of payment in La Arcada, a foreign exchange business on Havana Boulevard, but they also share the profits from the informal resale of … Continue reading “From the Hard Currency Store to the Cuban Black Market, the New Informal Supply Route”
