A table in the VIP area of the event "Start of Summer 2K26," held at the Resonance Musique Hotel in Varadero, cost 600 dollars, as reported by a Cuban on social media.
"This table cost $600 and is at the end of the VIP section at the beginning of summer. I can't even imagine how much it would cost up front," says a woman in the video.
The segment of the audiovisual was shared by content creator Yandi Ali in a video posted on Instagram that sparked a wave of reactions among Cubans both on the island and abroad.
The "Start of Summer 2K26" took place over a continuous 72 hours, from May 29 to 31. It was organized by the audiovisual project Fiesta Havana and Rey Puma, featuring artists such as Yomil, Wildey, Zurdo MC, El Micha, and Ja Rulay.
Yandi Ali did not hide her surprise at the amount. "Did I hear that right? She said $600 to go listen to music that you can easily hear in your room," she commented.
The comparison made by the creator was devastating: "To give you an idea, the VIP ticket for the Bad Bunny concert in Spain cost 500 euros. Bad Bunny!, not the kids from the neighborhood."
The reference is accurate. The VIP packages for Bad Bunny's concert in Spain for 2026 range from €258 to €543, according to Live Nation, which is less than or similar to what was allegedly charged for a table at an event featuring local Cuban artists in Varadero.
Despite the prices, attendance was massive. One attendee confirmed in the comments having paid 300 dollars for a table without any consumption in a previous edition of the same event, with bottles starting at 30,000 Cuban pesos: "The best part was that it was packed with people and filled with bottles."
The contrast with the reality of the country was impossible to ignore. The event took place while Cuba was experiencing an electrical deficit of 1,960 MW during peak hours, but in Varadero, there was electricity.
The outrage on social media was immediate. "Now tell him to show you his refrigerator at home. I'm sure he has two bottles of water and a pack of hot dogs," wrote one user. Another commented ironically, "With 50 dollars, I can have a great start to summer at my place."
The event, managed by Gaviota Tours, a state company linked to the military conglomerate GAESA, sparked a wave of criticism for representing a luxury party that is inaccessible to most Cubans, whose average state salary does not exceed 5,000 pesos per month.
The Pichy Boys described these Varadero parties as an attempt by the dictatorship to "demonstrate normalcy" amid the crisis.
Do you think this testimony about the table in the VIP for 600 dollars is true, or was the Cuban " exaggerating"?
Ali closed his video with a phrase that summed up the feelings of many Cubans: “People are really struggling in this country”.
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