The Cuban actor Ray Cruz shared a video recorded at the Carlos III store, located in Havana, in which he expresses concern and sadness about the current state of one of the most iconic shopping centers in the capital.
"Many years ago, today I entered Carlos III Plaza. I grew up here, I mean, I'm 40 years old and I grew up here. (...) And it saddens me to see this store like this, empty, with four kids on two machines," he said on Instagram.
"A place where on Sundays, parents would come and spend the day with their children. It's truly awful," she stated.
The actor's video showcases a nearly deserted establishment, with closed shops and minimal presence of customers and workers, a situation that reflects the shortage of basic goods and the decline in the purchasing power of Cubans.
His words reflect the contrast between the past of Carlos III—a family and commercial meeting point—and its current situation: a silent space, with empty shelves and minimal foot traffic.
The gallery, which for years was a benchmark for currency trading in Havana, appears silent and dilapidated. Its reality is the same as that affecting the rest of the country: a scarcity of products, high prices, and a significant drop in the purchasing power of the population.
"What a longing, what a desire for us to improve, not just to be okay, but to truly get better; we deserve it, for God's sake," stated the artist.
The Carlos III shopping center was for years one of the landmarks of commerce in Havana. It featured stores selling appliances, clothing, household items, and a very busy dining area.
However, today it looks almost unrecognizable: empty halls, closed stores, and very few products available.
Previous images shared on social media had already reported this reality.
In October of last year, TikTok user rossy8972 documented empty aisles and minimal activity in the stores, starkly contrasting with the usual crowds that characterized the center.
In March, kary_y_jony also recorded a 40-second video touring Carlos III, where empty shelves and poor lighting were noticeable, reflecting an atmosphere of neglect and decay.
The situation at the Carlos III shopping center highlights a broader issue: the economic crisis facing Cuba. What was once a family gathering spot has now become a symbol of the collapse of domestic trade and the government's inability to ensure the availability of essential goods.
The deterioration of Carlos III also reflects the disconnect between the Cuban economic system and the real needs of the population.
Years ago, the store started selling in MLC, which does not correspond with the income of most workers, further limiting access to basic products and leaving citizens frustrated as they walk through commercial spaces where there is practically nothing to buy.
The video shared by Ray Cruz highlights how iconic spaces, once symbols of community life and recreation, have been transformed into visible testimonies of mismanagement and chronic shortages.
Her words, born from personal memory and the connection to the neighborhood, encapsulate the feelings of many Cubans observing how places that were part of their lives now reflect the deterioration of a country where there is increasingly less to buy and fewer people who can afford to do so.
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