14ymedio, Juan Diego Rodriguez, Havana, 25 February 2022 — “Every time they put out cigarettes here it’s our own Ukraine war on the block.” With sarcasm, a resident of Centro Habana commented on the great scandal that occurred at noon this Friday at the corner of San Francisco and San Rafael, in the middle of a line to buy cigarettes at the Cupet store on Infanta street.
An argument between several who were waiting escalated until it reached bad words, shoves and blows. To disperse the tumult, several police cars and a police van arrived.
“I don’t know if it’s business or it’s the desire to smoke that drives people crazy, but the most advisable thing is to stay away from this flammable mob,” lamented another resident in the area, who does not understand why the lines of smokers get so violent.
The price of a box of cigarettes in the informal market in Havana exceeds 160 pesos depending on the brand, and often the sale of the product in pesos in state establishments must be monitored by police and military.
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