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CADECA conducted its first cash remittance operation in dollars at a branch in Guantánamo and celebrated this on its social media, describing the service as "fast and secure" and assuring that it "is already bringing peace of mind and connection to Cuban families."
The announcement is part of a broader measure communicated this Tuesday by Financiera CIMEX S.A. (Fincimex), which stated that remittances sent from abroad can now be received in cash in dollars directly at CADECA offices throughout the country, "from anywhere in the world, in minutes."
On Wednesday, Fincimex published the complete list of branches authorized in the 15 provinces of the country, from Pinar del Río to Guantánamo, where the measure already has three payment points: the capital city, Baracoa, and the Guantánamo II shopping center.
To collect the payment, the beneficiary must present their identification document and the code indicated in the payment notification.
Fincimex clarified that if the remittance was sent for cash payment, it will only be paid in that manner, although it offers the option to deposit the amount onto the Clásica card, a financial product in dollars from the entity.
The citizen reaction on social media was largely skeptical. "That's a trap. In a few days, they won't have cash," wrote a user.
Another complaint was made: "State the percentage that they charge; that's where the excitement ends." A user from Matanzas reported that in that province "they haven't given the order, and there is no cash."
Several comments demanded information that CADECA did not provide in its publication: the exact procedure from abroad, the applied commissions, and the enabled platforms.
A user replied on their own: "Money is sent through tocopay.com, it is received in cash dollars, and if you want, you can deposit it in Clásica or Tropical."
The announcement comes in the context of a severe contraction of the formal remittance channels, which have fallen by 70% compared to 2019, when they reached approximately 3.7 billion dollars.
After the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on Orbit S.A. in January 2025, Western Union indefinitely suspended its money transfers from the United States to Cuba in February of that year, and Cubamax followed suit in April. More than 95% of the flow then shifted to informal channels.
Fincimex operates under the direct control of GAESA, the military conglomerate that dominates strategic sectors of the Cuban economy, which was formally identified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 2020.
Analysts estimate that 74.3% of every 100 dollars that enter Cuba through remittances is retained through taxes and markups in stores that accept freely convertible currency, with margins of up to 240% over market prices.
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