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Tiendas Caribe announced the reopening of several establishments in Santiago de Cuba, all operating under the sales modality of freely convertible currency (MLC) or in dollars.
On its official Facebook profile, the state-owned company announced that this Tuesday it reopened the Variedades Enramadas Shopping Center, located on the central Aguilera street, for the sale of products in dollars.
They also confirmed the reopening of the Tienda Siglo XX, located on Enramadas between San Pedro and Santo Tomás, and the Tienda La Violeta, in the municipality of San Luis, both operating in MLC.
This is a "poisoned gift" for the population, because purchases can only be made using international cards or the AIS, Tropical, and Clásica national cards, all linked to currency accounts.
Tiendas Caribe promoted the reopenings with messages of "renewal, quality, and commitment," although the posts were met with criticism and sarcasm from citizens who point out that most people in Santiago do not have access to dollars or MLC accounts.
The new points of sale offer food, personal hygiene products, household items, and appliances, in a context where salaries are paid exclusively in Cuban pesos (CUP) and the informal exchange rate of the dollar greatly exceeds the purchasing power of the population.
As a "benefit," Tiendas Caribe offers a 5% discount for those who pay with the Clásica card, a measure that only benefits those who already have access to foreign currency.
The company also shared messages about the "service culture" and "personalized attention" at Variedades Enramadas, presenting the reopening as an opportunity to "strengthen the relationship with the customer and the community."
However, for most residents of Santiago, the reopening of foreign currency retail stores represents a new display of inequality: while a few can buy in dollars, the majority struggles without access to drinking water, enduring daily blackouts and facing severe shortages of medicines and basic food items.
The contrast is especially evident after the Civil Defense declared "normalcy" in the province this Tuesday, two months after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, despite residents asserting that this normalcy does not exist.
The promises of delivery of construction materials and state assistance have not yet been fulfilled, and the reopening of stores that accept foreign currency comes as a "Christmas gift" that few can afford.
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