The Carlos III shopping center, one of the most iconic in Havana, today appears almost unrecognizable: empty, silent, and with bare shelves.
A video shared on TikTok by user @rossy8972 shows the completely empty halls of the place, with just a few isolated workers and customers, an image that contrasts sharply with the usual crowds that used to characterize this shopping spot.
In the video, recorded from the upper floors of the building, the deterioration of the facility and the lack of activity in its stores are evident. The popular gallery, known for housing appliance and clothing shops, as well as a very busy dining area, seems to have been caught in the neglect and scarcity that affects the entire island.
Carlos III was for years a benchmark for trade in freely convertible currency (MLC), but today it faces the same reality as the rest of the country: a lack of basic goods, unaffordable prices, and a decline in the purchasing power of Cubans.
The desolate scene of the shopping center reflects the deep economic crisis that Cuba is experiencing, where power outages, inflation, and the massive exodus of the population have left not only the shelves empty but also the streets and public spaces.
The scene recorded on Carlos III has gone viral on social media, symbolizing a country where there is less and less to buy, and fewer people with the means to do so.
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