A table in the VIP area of the event "Start of Summer 2K26," held at the Resonance Musique Hotel in Varadero, cost 600 dollars, according to a Cuban woman who reported it on social media.
"This table cost $600 and is at the back of the VIP area at the beginning of summer. I can't even imagine how much it would cost up front," says a woman in the video.
The fragment of the audiovisual was shared by content creator Yandi Ali in a video posted on Instagram that generated a wave of reactions among Cubans inside and outside the island.
The "Beginning of Summer 2K26" took place over a continuous 72 hours, from May 29 to May 31. It was organized by the audiovisual project Fiesta Havana and Rey Puma, featuring artists such as Yomil, Wildey, Zurdo MC, and El Micha, along with Ja Rulay.
Yandi Ali did not hide her astonishment at the amount. "Did I hear that right? She said $600 to go hear music that you can easily listen to in your room," she commented.
The comparison made by the creator was striking: "Just 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. An attendee confirmed in the comments that they had paid $300 for a table without consumption at 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 electricity deficit of 1,960 MW during peak hours, but in Varadero, there was indeed power.
The outrage on social media was immediate. "Now tell him to show you the refrigerator in his house. I bet he has two bottles of water and a pack of hot dogs," wrote one user. Another pointed out with irony: "With 50 dollars, I can kick off summer with a bang at my house."
The event, managed by Gaviota Tours, a state-owned 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 parties in Varadero 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 "inflating" it?
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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