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A resident of Centro Habana reported this Thursday in the Facebook group "Boteros D' Cuba" that an inspector issued her two fines on the same day for selling pozuelos —plastic cooking containers— totaling 46,000 Cuban pesos.
The affected person posted a photo of the two consecutive fine tickets: 558367, for 10,000 pesos under Decree 210, and 558368, for 36,000 pesos under Decree-Law 91, both issued on the same day by the same official.
"A inspector from Centro Habana fined me twice, one for 36,000 and another for 10,000, just for selling pozuelos. I would like to know if she can issue two fines in one day to the same person," wrote the complainant, who preferred to remain anonymous.
The post sparked a flood of outraged reactions and an impromptu legal debate among the users.
Some commentators invoked the legal principle of not punishing twice for the same cause. "You cannot, it is a principle of criminal procedural law, not to punish twice for the same reason," wrote a user.
However, others with a deeper understanding of the Cuban legal framework clarified that double penalties may be valid when the violations pertain to different decrees. "You can receive two fines on the same day, as long as the violations you commit are from different decrees," stated one Cuban.
Another user clarified: "They issued you two different decrees, one 30 and one 91. For decree 91, if you pay it within 72 hours, you get a 25% discount."
Another anonymous participant warned that the situation could be even more serious: "In one day, you can be fined up to five times, each under different decrees."
The Decree-Law 91/2024, effective since September 2024, toughened penalties for self-employed workers, small and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes), and cooperatives, with fines that can reach up to 72,000 pesos. The Decree 30/2021 regulates price and tariff violations, with penalties of up to 10,000 pesos for individuals.
The magnitude of the fines is overwhelming in the current economic context. The average state salary in Cuba is 6,930 pesos per month —around 13 dollars at the informal exchange rate— which means that the 46,000 pesos in fines equate to more than six average monthly salaries.
Several users pointed out the contradiction of targeting those who sell basic goods for survival. "That poor woman sells that to be able to put a little food on the table for her family," wrote one commenter.
Public outrage also targeted the inspectors' selectiveness. "Why don't they impose fines on the small and medium enterprises and the individuals who are colluding with them?" questioned another user.
The case is part of an escalation of operations against the informal sector that has intensified in recent years. In November 2025, a street vendor in Granma was fined 72,000 pesos for selling chicken without a license, and in March 2025, inspectors in Havana imposed fines of up to 16,000 pesos on unlicensed self-employed workers on public streets.
“No, you can’t impose two violations at once; the more severe one takes precedence. In short, that’s what the Penal Code stated; now, given the situation, anything goes,” summarized a user, capturing in a few words the widespread distrust towards a system where rules are applied arbitrarily.
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