A small and medium-sized enterprise partners with Correos de Cuba in Matanzas in response to the growing private sector in international shipping

The MIPYME Transmiret has come to the rescue of the always overwhelmed state-owned company Correos de Cuba for the delivery of international packages in Matanzas.

At the end of August, the provincial branch of the state entity announced the arrival of "the first shipment of international postal packages at the Matanzas Classification Center, belonging to the Matanzas Postal Company, coming from the MIPYME Transmiret, following successful strategic negotiation agreements for the delivery of parcels with non-state management entities."

"This important step strengthens the efficient distribution of shipments, which will be processed at the center for subsequent delivery to the various municipalities of the province," the information specified.

"This advance represents a significant milestone in the modernization and diversification of the postal system, contributing to the integration of new players in the supply chain and the continuous improvement of provincial postal services," he concluded.

The independent newspaper 14 y Medio, which has been following this news, published statements this Saturday from an employee of the Matanzas 1 office, located on the central Calle del Medio, who admitted that "this union responds to the constant complaints from users and to the loss of trust in the international shipping service of Correos de Cuba."

"The reality is that we have had issues with rigor, distribution, and customer service. They now expect this partnership to improve the situation," he added.

The reason for this alliance, explains the independent media, is also due to Correos de Cuba's interest in reclaiming the lost ground against other private initiatives.

Among them, We Ship You stands out, having provided service from the neighborhood of Peñas Altas for three years.

“They have excellent service. With their mobile app, I can track my package from the moment it arrives at their depot until it is delivered to my home. The first time I used the service, the package arrived on a Sunday, and since deliveries started on Monday, I went to the base and got it within 10 minutes,” said Arnaldo, a regular customer of We Ship You, based in Homestead, Florida, and founded by Colombian Carlos Badel and Cuban Johan Rodríguez, to 14 y Medio.

"Furthermore, the heavier the shipment, the lower the price. It can cost as little as 4 dollars per pound if it exceeds 10 pounds. The package arrives in less than 21 days, which is unthinkable with Correos de Cuba," he added.

Another company that competes with what was, until a few years ago, a state monopoly, according to 14 y Medio, is Tu Envío Latino, "an online shopping agency created by two young entrepreneurs from Matanzas who took advantage of the void left by the State."

"We saw the opportunity and began working on the issue. Our family in Miami helps us; the purchases arrive at their place and are then sent to Cuba. Little by little, we have grown, and we are now moving over $10,000 in merchandise every two weeks," one of its founders told the independent media.

"We are not afraid of Correos de Cuba competing with us, because whenever state-owned companies do something somewhat innovative, we private enterprises surpass them since we adapt more quickly. With us, products arrive in less than 20 days, even from China. Once, a customer received their purchase from the Nike store in just 24 hours," he added.

Collapse of Correos de Cuba

In recent weeks, the Grupo Empresarial Correos de Cuba (GECC) has publicly acknowledged the collapse of its international package reception, processing, and delivery system, and it directly attributes this to the “record-breaking” increase in imported combustion-engine motorcycles, which overwhelm its already fragile logistical capacity.

The International Messaging and Exchange Company (EMCI) justified this situation by stating that they are going through a "critical route" similar to that of 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic, when millions of international shipments were processed.

However, unlike before, fewer packages are now received, but they are of greater volume and weight, which further complicates operations.

Correos also argues that the current context is more difficult than that experienced during COVID: there is a severe fuel shortage, issues with the national electrical system, and a structural logistics crisis, exacerbated by delays in customs dispatches, which halt the official entry of shipments into the postal system until they are released.

Additionally, they emphasize that airport and port authorities at Mariel prioritize other goods deemed strategic for the country, such as raw materials and industrial supplies, which further delays delivery times for personal shipments.

The state entity indicates that the average delivery time for international packages now exceeds 60 days, and in the case of motorcycles, the delay can extend for months.

The EMCI is still processing containers received at the end of April, as the entity publicly acknowledged.

Despite the promises of the marketing agencies, which assure deliveries within 15 days, the motorcycles are only being distributed from three locations: Havana, Santa Clara, and Holguín, depending on the recipient's geographical area.

This forces many Cubans to travel long distances to pick up their vehicles, resulting in additional costs and inconveniences.

Correos asserted that the decision was not made by them, but acknowledged that it has caused “dissatisfaction and complaints”.

In addition, the automated plant at EMCI has still not been able to start due to the lack of an imported electrical component, further delaying the promised modernization of the service.

In recent months, the official press has attempted to showcase improvements in delivery services, but reports of over 4,000 accumulated shipments, complaints of lost items, and the saturation caused by new imports such as motorcycles reveal the opposite.

With a system that remains collapsed, Correos de Cuba tries to justify the slowness of its services by citing a mix of structural obstacles, an overloaded supply of goods, external delays, and a lack of basic resources.

Moreover, in a country where social media has become an almost mandatory channel for reporting daily irregularities, complaints about thefts or losses in international shipments handled by Correos de Cuba have not gone unnoticed.

Despite this, the Cuban Postal Business Group published an extensive statement on Facebook titled “Correos de Cuba: Speaking Clearly,” where they attempt to discredit the complaints and minimize their impact.

Frequently asked questions about the alliance between Transmiret and Correos de Cuba