A leaked audio from a meeting between Cuban self-employed workers and representatives of the communist regime revealed the growing frustration within the private sector over the recent restrictions imposed by the government.
The controversy revolves around Resolution 56/2024 from the Ministry of Domestic Trade, which severely restricts wholesale marketing, threatening the survival of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (Mipymes), non-agricultural cooperatives (CNA), and self-employed workers (TCP).
In the widely circulated material on social media, self-employed individuals express their dissatisfaction with government measures. One of the participants, clearly indignant, stated: "You as the government have the obligation to solve your problems, and we have ours. But you cannot trample on us like this."
The new regulations require micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (Mipymes) and cooperatives to sell exclusively through state-owned companies or government-controlled distributors.
In addition, it sets strict deadlines of 90 days for updating licenses and 120 days for liquidating wholesale inventories. Non-compliance incurs severe penalties, including fines, confiscations, and the cancellation of operating licenses.
Reports of a lack of democracy and dialogue
Freelancers also reported the lack of a democratic process in decision-making.
“There is no democracy here. Decisions are made without consulting us, without even discussing them with the people, and then they expect us to accept them as if they were fair,” complained one of the attendees.
Others criticized the requirement to establish formal employment contracts for family members who work, describing this demand as "absurd." "Why do I have to pay a salary to my wife if we are a family?" questioned a business owner.
One of the affected workers stated, "We are not responsible for the inflation or the economic problems of the country. We are always the first to make sacrifices, but we cannot bear the mistakes of the leaders."
The self-employed workers demanded in-depth reforms and respect for their business activities. "I have never seen a province oppose a national law. You only obey," complained a worker, criticizing the lack of effective representation.
"The only thing we want is for them to listen to us and let us live," concluded the attendees of the meeting.
Legislative context and recent background
The current situation adds to a series of restrictive measures implemented in recent months. In June 2024, the Cuban regime arbitrarily shut down the store Diplomarket, popularly known as the "Cuban Costco," and arrested its owner, the Cuban-American businessman Frank Cuspinera.
The authorities intervened in the company without warning, under accusations of tax evasion, currency trafficking, and money laundering. Cuspinera, who had successfully established his business in Cuba since 2013, offering products through his platform Diplomarket, has been missing since his detention.
In September, the government shut down the iconic Mercado Chino in Havana, citing alleged administrative irregularities. This decision left dozens of families without support and sparked widespread public discontent.
The closure of alternative markets and the mass cancellation of business licenses are intensifying the economic precariousness of the sector. Authorities justified these actions by claiming the need to control the market and prevent "abuses" against consumers, but economists warn that the lack of competition will lead to greater scarcity and price increases.
However, economic analysts have described the resolution as a setback, arguing that these restrictions undermine the economic independence of the private sector.
In his efforts to exert control over the private sector, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel has insisted on establishing grassroots committees of the Communist Party and the Young Communist Union within small and medium-sized enterprises (Mipymes). For many entrepreneurs, this represents a strategy to politically control the private sector.
Events like the controversial leak reflect a growing discontent that threatens to further strain the already fragile Cuban economy, impacting thousands of families who rely on self-employment for their survival.
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