A 32-year-old Cuban mother posted a video on Facebook that became a reflection of the misery faced by millions of Cubans: she sold items from her own home to gather 6,000 pesos, and with that money, she was barely able to buy a bottle of oil, beans, croquettes, a deodorant, and soap, without enough left for rice or a substantial meal.
"With what I sold, I managed to have 6,000 pesos and I was able to buy a bottle of oil, not to mention money, how much it cost, beans, croquettes, I had to buy deodorant, I had to buy soap, and if I had a thousand pesos left, that was a lot, without buying rice, without buying a main dish," Meyvis Fundora recounted in the video.
The question he posed at the end of his testimony encapsulates the anguish of an entire generation: "How does a retiree live on 2,500 pesos? And there are people who are not retired who receive 2,500. How can they live, gentlemen?"
The response from users was unanimous and overwhelming. "They do not live, they live poorly, they resist and wait," wrote one. "We do not live. We survive, which is different. It’s very sad what they are making us endure," noted another. A third commentator summarized the situation with a phrase that circulated widely: "That question was not even answered by Fidel."
A retiree who identified himself as receiving exactly that amount spoke: "I am one of those retirees who earn 2,500 pesos a month. I don’t know how I have managed to live on that money. In my case, I thank the Creator for not letting me go to bed without having put a plate of food on my table. As for others, I can't speak for them, but I am sure it is not easy for them."
Other users put even harsher figures on the table. "If a household spends 5,000 pesos daily, without a doubt," wrote one, highlighting that the monthly allowance doesn't even cover 24 hours of real expenses. Someone receiving social assistance pointed out that their situation is even worse: "What do you think of us, the recipients, with 1,540? It doesn't even buy us a bottle of oil. We have lost a lot of weight. From hunger and suffering."
Several commentators also pointed out that the ordeal does not end with the amount of the pension: the queues to cash it and delays of up to two months worsen the situation. "Not to mention the long and tedious queues they have to wait in to withdraw that little money, and others who face delays of up to two months or more to receive it," wrote a user.
The decline in the purchasing power of retirees is not a new issue. In August 2025, the regime approved an increase in the lowest pensions, raising the benefits below this threshold to 4,000 pesos per month. Although the measure was presented as a bolster of social protection, many economists and citizens warned at that time that the increase was insufficient in the face of inflation and the rapid rise in food and other basic products.
The numbers confirm what the video shows. Covering all basic needs —food, medicine, transportation, hygiene— requires around 96,000 pesos per month, according to recent estimates.
The gap between income and the cost of living continues to persist even after the latest measures announced by the regime. As of July 1, the new minimum wage of 3,210 pesos per month officially went into effect, representing a 53% increase from the previous 2,100 pesos. However, the Ministry of Labor itself warned that the new wages will begin to be paid in August, corresponding to the month of July. Additionally, authorities acknowledged that even the new minimum wage remains insufficient to cover the basic needs of a person.
The crisis of the system has also been reflected in the issues surrounding pension financing: the provincial government of Granma admitted in June 2026 that it did not have the 400 million pesos necessary to pay its 111,000 retirees, and on July 18, the regime announced that local businesses would be responsible for covering that payment, effectively acknowledging that the State cannot sustain the system.
Meanwhile, over 1.7 million Cubans depend on these pensions to survive. As one commentator summarized: “That money is not for living, it's for dying slowly. It’s sad that people who have worked their entire lives receive this payment. They have betrayed an entire country.”
For thousands of retired Cubans, the issue is no longer how much pensions are increasing, but that their incomes remain far from the actual cost of living.
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