Santiago de Cuba runs out of banknotes to supply ATMs

The situation has worsened these days when salary payments are made in almost all state agencies and there are no high denomination bills.

| 07/13/2022 - 6:36am (GMT-5)

Cargando — ATM at Sancti Spíritus (Reference image) Photo © Escambray / Delia Proenza

Cajero automático en Sancti Spíritus (Imagen de referencia) © Escambray / Delia Proenza — ATM at Sancti Spíritus (Reference image) Photo © Escambray / Delia Proenza

This article is from 1 year ago

The lack of bills to supply ATMs has led to a serious problem in Santiago de Cuba, where the population cannot withdraw cash.

The situation has worsened in recent hours, because these days salary payments are made in almost all state agencies.

Directors of the Credit and Commerce Banks (BANDEC) and the Popular Savings Bank (BPA) explained to the newspaperSierra Maestra that the main impact is on thehigh denomination bills, but they argued that the process of increasing the frequency of cash replenishment of ATMs "has its technical specificities", without giving more details.

The territory has 68 ATMs, 32 from BANDEC and 36 from BPA. Of the latter, the one located on Garzón and Tercera is out of service.

According to the report, Santiago residents can withdraw cash from their accounts associated with magnetic cards at the offices of the CADECA Exchange Houses, available on Enramadas, Aguilera and Ferreiro streets, during their usual business hours, which include Saturday and Sunday.

Work is also being done to strengthen the Caja Extra service, implemented in several provinces due to the shortage of ATMs, through which electronic banking users can withdraw up to a thousand pesos a day in national currency through the magnetic card.

A situation similar to that of Santiago de Cuba is suffered by users in Havana, whereATMs in the Casino Deportivo district, in the Cerro municipality, have been without service for more than 15 days because the ETECSA Telecommunications Company does not reestablish communications so that the equipment can function.

BANDEC workers told the weeklyTribunethat the solution to the problem "depends on ETECSA."

In Havana there are about 500 ATMs, butmore than 100 do not offer service, either due to breakages or lack of spare parts, according to the official version.

Given the crisis, in 2021 thecash withdrawal in commercial establishments such as pharmacies, supermarkets, stores, post offices, telecommunications, among others, mainly in areas where there are no ATMs.