Related videos:
The new pricing scheme imposed by the Telecommunications Company of Cuba (ETECSA), which restricts access to mobile internet in Cuban pesos and shifts the rest of the consumption to payments in foreign currency, has generated unusual attention in the international press.
From European media to Latin American portals, the decision has been presented as an aggravating factor in Cuban social inequality and has drawn attention for the organized reaction from the student movement, which expressed its rejection through strikes and collective statements.
In Spain, the newspaper El País has been one of the most active in coverage, publishing multiple articles since early June. In one of them, it described the measure as a "digital apartheid," emphasizing that only those who receive remittances from abroad will be able to afford navigation beyond the basic monthly limit.
In a text signed by the Cuban historian and scholar, Rafael Rojas, the outlet also highlighted the youth discontent and protests in at least 25 university faculties, a reaction that is unusual in the state-controlled higher education system.
The agency Reuters, with a global reach, dedicated at least two articles to the crisis caused by the rate hikes. In its reports, it stressed that the new pricing policy "fueled citizen frustration," particularly among students, and informed about the relief measures offered by ETECSA, such as the 6 GB of subsidized data.
However, the Anglo-Saxon agency also gathered testimonies that demonstrated dissatisfaction by deeming the offer insufficient.
From France, France 24 covered the topic in its French edition, noting that "a new telephone pricing system in Cuba is causing discontent." The outlet reported that, with an average salary of about 2,000 pesos (approximately 16 dollars), many Cubans are unable to afford the services in foreign currencies that ETECSA proposes as a solution.
The Italian ANSA also reported on the new tariffs imposed by the Cuban regime. In a note published last December—anticipating the change—it quoted Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, who acknowledged that the goal was to reduce consumption in pesos and stimulate the influx of foreign currency.
The agency also reported that the Cuban government expected this measure to "ensure the sustainability of the service."
In Latin America, media outlets such as Infobae (Argentina) and Excélsior (Mexico) reported both on the rate hike and on the students' reactions. Both highlighted the unprecedented nature of the protests, which were organized without party leadership and coordinated through social media and public statements from university groups.
From Asia, the portal The Star from Malaysia included the Cuban case in its technology section, stating that the measure had generated "a wave of criticism," especially due to the limitations in local currency and the need to rely on digital platforms to access the service.
Even Wikipedia, in its English version, has updated the entry for ETECSA to include information about the tariff reform and student protests, indicating that the issue has transcended into global and public informational forums.
Despite the fact that major media outlets have not provided specific coverage to date, the treatment given by the mentioned media reveals that ETECSA's policy has not only been unpopular within the island but has also projected an image of Cuba internationally as even more restricted, unequal, and disconnected.
Filed under: