A young Cuban shared on TikTok her visit to La Cuevita, a well-known informal trading area located in the municipality of San Miguel del Padrón, Havana, where a variety of goods are sold, from food and clothing to scarce medications found in state pharmacies.
“From the moment you arrive, you notice that it's very busy. This is because prices tend to be a bit lower than in state stores, and there’s even more variety,” says content creator @kary_y_jony, at the beginning of the video that's already starting to circulate on social media.
In the visual tour, the young woman showcases the aisles of this space filled with makeshift stalls and various products. However, she also highlights the deterioration of the environment and the lack of hygiene: “The streets are broken, filled with trash, there are no visible bins, and even less awareness of maintaining good hygiene.”
Another notable aspect is the presence of medications: “Since there are no medications in pharmacies and these places are filled with medications… I don't know if they will clean this up at some point because it looks all so depressing,” she comments with concern.
The creator, who has previously documented places such as the Carlos III shopping center, the Chinatown, the Sports City, and the deep streets of Havana, uses her posts to depict what she defines as “the reality of the everyday Cuban.” In them, she highlights shortages, urban decay, and the inequality marked by the informal economy.
Although the video has not yet garnered a large number of comments, some users have expressed surprise or shock at the conditions of the place. "That looks like Haiti, how horrible," said one internet user. Others showed curiosity to learn more about the location or simply reacted with emojis.
La Cuevita: between informal trade and chaos
The La Cuevita market has been the scene of episodes of violence and scams, reflecting the state's lack of control over informal trade in Cuba. In March of last year, an alleged scam sparked a violent fight among several men. “I really thought they were going to kill him,” said a witness who recorded the incident, emphasizing the growing insecurity and the passivity of the authorities.
In December 2024, an inspector attacked a vendor with a bayonet in the midst of a market, an incident that sparked outrage and reopened the debate on the use of force by government officials in public spaces.
In addition to violent acts, scams are common. In March 2023, a woman reported buying what she thought was oil, but it turned out to be water with vinegar. Authorities have attempted to manage the situation with operations, such as the one in November 2022, which resulted in the detention of more than 50 resellers, although without lasting structural changes.
Despite the renovations announced by the regime in 2019, La Cuevita remains a symbol of shortages, informality, and crisis, where “the black market sets the rules and the government turns a blind eye,” as users have expressed on social media.
Have you been to La Cuevita or other similar markets? Share your experience in the comments.
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