The Cuban regime warned that international mobile recharge operations outside the official channels of the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA) could be considered a crime of sabotage, in a new repressive escalation against practices widespread among Cubans both inside and outside the Island to circumvent the limitations imposed by the state telecommunications monopoly.
During the Wednesday broadcast of the official program Hacemos Cuba, the regime's spokesperson Humberto López interviewed officials from the Ministry of Interior (MININT) and the Attorney General's Office, in which those participating in unauthorized recharge services from abroad were described as a “criminal structure.”
According to the authorities, these operations, frequently promoted by websites that offer promotions and prices lower than those of ETECSA, represent a million-dollar loss in foreign currency for the state-owned company.
“It could constitute a crime of sabotage,” warned the Chief Prosecutor of the Directorate of Criminal Proceedings, José Luis Reyes Blanco, noting that such activities affect a “critical infrastructure” like the telecommunications system.
The Colonel Marcos Yobany Rodríguez, deputy chief of the specialized agency for economic crimes at MININT, stated that "structures" have been detected operating within the country with "million-dollar adverse effects" and mentioned recent investigations with criminal actions of a "public nature."
Who is under scrutiny?
Authorities indicated that among those involved in Cuba are individuals licensed as telecommunications agents of ETECSA, who take advantage of their expanded access to the system to make multiple national top-ups with local currency.
It is also used to "hundreds of people" to credit balances to beneficiaries in Cuba, as if they were national top-ups, after receiving payment in foreign currency from abroad through alternative channels.
Although they acknowledged that the final recipient, the Cuban who receives the credit on their mobile phone, is a "victim," the regime stated that all intermediaries, both inside and outside the country, will be prosecuted.
“We are talking about serious penalties”, warned prosecutor Reyes Blanco, referring to the crime of sabotage, classified as grave and subject to severe sentences.
New legal argument: sabotage of sensitive infrastructures
To justify the classification of sabotage, officials relied on Opinion 475 of the People's Supreme Court, recently issued, which broadens the interpretation of the crime to include acts that affect critical services such as telecommunications, transportation, generators, or solar parks.
The prosecutor compared the telecommunications system to the "nervous system" of a human body, asserting that any financial impairment to ETECSA's operations endangers not only the citizens but also the country's development, self-employment, and state entities.
This criminal offensive comes just weeks after ETECSA announced a new pricing scheme that limits national recharges to only 360 CUP per month and promotes, instead, data packages priced in United States dollars (USD). For example:
4 GB for 10 USD
8 GB + 75 MIN + 80 SMS for 20 USD
16 GB for 35 USD
Meanwhile, the plans in national currency skyrocketed to prices that exceed the minimum wage: 3 GB for 3,360 CUP and 15 GB for nearly 12,000 CUP.
These measures, which indicate a de facto dollarization of internet access, generated a strong wave of criticism on social media, especially among those who do not receive remittances and face limited access to basic connectivity services.
The president of ETECSA, Tania Velázquez, justified the decision by claiming that the company has lost more than 60% of its revenue from international top-ups, due to “frauds” as described by MININT and the Prosecutor's Office. She also stated that the average revenue per mobile line fell from 133 USD in 2018 to just 31 USD in 2024.
With this new legal threat, the regime aims to protect ETECSA's collection of foreign currency amid a crisis of income and growing distrust. Equating those who organize alternative recharge services with saboteurs marks a new phase in the criminalization of survival in a country where almost everything costs in dollars, but salaries are paid in pesos.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fraud Against ETECSA and Its Impact on Cuba
Why does the Cuban regime consider the fraud against ETECSA as sabotage?
The Cuban regime has characterized the fraud against ETECSA as sabotage because these operations impact a "critical infrastructure" of the country, namely the telecommunications system. The authorities maintain that the fraud poses a direct threat to the economic and operational stability of the country, in addition to causing a significant loss of foreign currency revenue for the state-owned enterprise, thereby affecting both citizens and national development.
How do fraud networks operate in international top-ups to ETECSA?
Fraud networks operate through unofficial platforms that pretend to offer international top-ups, but in reality, they convert the currencies sent from abroad into local balances within Cuba. This is done through telecommunications agents who use money in the informal market, keeping the currencies outside the country and impacting ETECSA's revenues.
What measures has ETECSA taken in response to these losses?
ETECSA has implemented a new pricing scheme that limits national top-ups in Cuban pesos and promotes data packages in US dollars. The company aims to attract more foreign currency and counteract losses from fraud, although these measures have drawn criticism for being seen as a de facto dollarization that restricts access to basic services.
How does this situation affect Cuban citizens?
The situation affects Cuban citizens by limiting their access to basic telecommunications services, especially for those who do not receive remittances in foreign currency. The high rates in Cuban pesos exceed the minimum wage, which increases economic and digital inequality in the country, leaving many without essential connectivity options.
What criticisms has ETECSA received regarding this issue?
ETECSA has faced strong criticism for its lack of transparency and its reliance on international top-ups to sustain its services. The narrative of massive fraud has been challenged due to the absence of public investigations, suggesting that it might be concealing an undeclared currency collection scheme. This has led to widespread rejection and distrust among the Cuban population.
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