The long lines of people at ATMs due to the shortage of cash continue to affect the lives of the people in the province of Las Tunas.
"The situation in the cashiers of this province and throughout the island remains critical. Long queues persist, and even private businesses and stores are unable to make transactions due to a lack of cash," denounced the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights.
The video shows a large crowd of tuners trying to withdraw cash, among whom there are elderly people, and at least two can be seen using crutches.
"Now they are giving 5,000, before it was only 2,000 pesos," explained a woman.
A manager from the Business Group of Commerce (GEC) acknowledged that the population in the capital city of Las Tunas has greater access to additional cash services at state entities, "due to the shortage of ATMs," according to a report from the Cuban News Agency.
The difficulty for the populace to access cash remains a persistent issue affecting people in all cities, and it is a problem that the regime has not addressed.
"What is troubling and has the population in a state of hysteria is that, at least in Sancti Spíritus, the ATMs do not meet the demand, causing long lines, and when the money runs out, the protests are intense," commented a person named Luis Gustavo in a post on the government-affiliated site Cubadebate.
The article "Central Bank Introduces New Notification System for Client Banking Management" reported on a new banking alert system developed by the Central Bank of Cuba.
However, as Luis Gustavo warns, the problem of cash shortages remains unresolved and ever-present: “If you go to withdraw money from the Banco Popular de Ahorro, it is limited to 2,000 pesos, which is hardly enough to start meeting your needs. What’s the solution?”
In a post on the Directorio Cubano portal, a person identified as Luispe confirmed that a similar scene is unfolding in the Isle of Youth.
"I am retired. I spent five days queuing to withdraw part of my pension because the bank only allows you to take out 2,000 pesos at a time, and it's practically impossible to do so at the ATMs. In the end, I had to wait for the ATM to reset at midnight, and the next day I was able to get the money after 10 in the morning. There is no money, and by 11, the cash at the BPA ATM in front of the polyclinic runs out," he recounted.
With great indignation, he considered it a disrespect and that the regime wants to enforce banking practices "at the expense of people's discomfort," "and then they boast about working for the 'people'."
In Santiago de Cuba, the state-run newspaper Sierra Maestra noted in March that, in practice, there are several issues related to banking.
The government measure is not being followed in many state entities in the capital city, which negatively impacts residents who are unable to access cash.
Filed under: