The new supermarket that the Cuban regime opened at 3rd and 70, which sells food and hygiene products that are in short supply in Cuba exclusively for foreign currency, continues to generate outrage and controversy on social media.
Located within the grounds of the Gran Muthu Habana Hotel—opened in 2023 and managed by MGM Muthu Hotels and the Gaviota group, which is overseen by the military leadership of the regime—the establishment accepts only cash in dollars or cards linked to foreign currency accounts.
The store is located across from the old "diplotienda" at 3rd and 70, which later began operating in freely convertible currency (MLC). However, unlike that one, the new supermarket is very well stocked with both national and foreign products.
Inside, there are food items, personal hygiene and cleaning products, household supplies, and appliances; however, the limited payment options deny most users the ability to access these products.
A video shared by the TikTok user identified as cuba.live2 showcased the interior of the store and its shelves filled with products, revealing the prices of some items, such as 250-gram packages of pasta (elbow macaroni and spaghetti priced at USD 1.35).
While the first ones correspond to the brand La Sabrosita, which belongs to the Panamanian supermarket chain Super 99 (established in 1986 by the later President of Panama, Ricardo Martinelli, who at the time was the owner of Empresas Martinelli S.A. and was sentenced in 2023 to 10 years and 8 months in prison for money laundering), this report was unable to determine the origin of the packages of spaghetti whose packaging was printed with Chinese characters.
Instant noodles for USD 1.20, a liter of chicken broth for USD 1.60, small soft drinks from the national brand Ciego Montero (USD 0.65), and water bottles from the same brand for one dollar (one and a half liters) or USD 2.50 (five liters) were captured in the video.
Launched as part of a "partial dollarization" operation of the economy, the Cuban regime authorities are once again promoting the sale of essential goods in dollars, with prices that far exceed those set in developed capitalist countries. This occurs in a nation where most workers earn wages in Cuban pesos and the minimum wage is 2,100 CUP (with one dollar equating to 315 CUP in the informal market).
The prices at the new supermarket on 3rd and 70 are unattainable for most Cubans. A 500-gram panettone is sold for $15.20, a figure that far exceeds the average monthly salary in CUP.
Payments can be made in cash in dollars, with the Fincimex Classic card, or with a new special card from GAESA's financial institution that can be topped up from abroad. "There are many people buying thanks to the Cubans who leave," commented the creator of another video posted about the recent opening of the supermarket.
The "economic minds" of the Business Administration Group S.A. (GAESA), Gaviota, and Tiendas Caribe continue to implement a pricing policy at the new establishment that highlights the abuse and institutionalized theft in Cuba.
This publication was able to verify that at the new supermarket, the extra virgin olive oil from the Spanish brand Ybarra is sold for USD 11.25, while in Spain, the same bottle costs €4.84, making it 2.3 times cheaper than in Cuba. This is notable, especially considering that the minimum wage in Spain is €1,134, which is 172 times the Cuban minimum wage.
The same logic applies to all products for sale. If liquid soap Dolce Schiuma costs USD 3.55 in Havana, the price for this product on the virtual store Amazon hovers just above one US dollar. The same goes for a bottle of 10-year-old Ballantines whiskey, which is sold in Cuba for USD 55.00, while in Europe it can be purchased for around 15 euros.
This market is a clear reflection of the dollarization of the Cuban economy, where the government prioritizes sales in dollars while the people struggle to survive amidst uncontrolled inflation, growing shortages, and an increasingly devalued Cuban peso.
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