🇬🇧 Is it the end of Cuba as we know it?

And here we go again. We just got back from another Cuba trip. Trip number 13 for me. And as every Cuba trip this one was different. I don’t know what’s going on with this country. On one hand it’s stucked in time. On the other hand the situation is different every time we go. Like, seriosuly.

You go to Cuba one year and dollar is banned. You go the next year dollar is more than welcome and expensive. Once there is CUC, next time no CUC at all. One year you go and practically steal the toilet paper from hotel’s bathrooms, the next year you can buy everything and more if you have money of course.

About that. I was in shock last year when first MIPYMES were open. What are they? Small and medium private (YES PRIVATE) companies, that by regulation can have up to 100 employees. Yes, finally Cuba is opening. In most cases MIPYMES are just what we would call supermarkets. The goverment that is struggling to provide to its people finally opened up. Shops owned by goverment still sell stuff but as always expensive and in $$$. Bodegas which should provied people with more affordable food are empty and the shortage of electricity is at its peak.

Is this oepening a sign that capitalism is entering Cuba slowly? I wouldn’t go as far but that means Cuba finally understood that it needs to open to private investment,

Prices in MIPYMES are quite high for Cubans but still, there is probably the most available product I have ever seen on my 10 year journey in Cuba. Take a look:

I was shocked when I saw it this time. Last year in Vinales MIPYMES has mostly beer and sodas. Maybe some few other products. Now it’s like each has this specialization. In one you can you can buy almost everything. The other one hast mostly eggs, meat, cheese and lobster. There are others with personal products. And I’m talking about a town of 7k of population. Obviously the situation in other places can be better/worse. For example Trinidad is and was always a place where even the normal shops (owned by goverment) were always better stocked that the ones I know. Still I think it’s a good change.

People who want to open a smaller business are not without a chance. They rent a space on somebody’s colonial porch and make a small shop there. Like this every neighbourhood has its own little corner to buy stuff.

And prices? As always. Good for us coming from abroad and quite high for locals. But is this ever going to change?