Five businesses were closed in Bayamo, Granma province, for not accepting payments by transfer and will be monitored by the National Office of Tax Administration (ONAT), amid the official campaign to impose the use of electronic payment gateways in private establishments.
The state broadcaster CMKX Radio Bayamo reported that the closures occurred in the morning, citing the profile Coordinadora Economía as the source.
At the same time, this account linked to the Granma government confirmed in another Facebook post that businesses closed "for not accepting transfers to the people" will be audited by the ONAT.
The authorities did not identify the establishments that were closed nor specified what consequences the announced tax enforcement could have for their owners.
Coordinadora Economía had already warned on July 31 about the measures that the so-called multidisciplinary groups would apply against businesses that refused electronic payments.
In that post, the profile showed the sticker that would be placed on the sanctioned establishments, with the message "Establishment closed by ONAT order" and the slogan "Your tax responsibility makes a difference."
The performance in Bayamo is announced a day after a regulatory operation in Sancti Spíritus resulted in over 200 fines and the closure of at least five establishments for violations primarily related to pricing and, to a lesser extent, electronic payment channels.
Among the irregularities detected in that province were the refusal to accept digital payments and the charging of different prices for the same product depending on whether the customer used cash or a transfer.
Cuban authorities had previously reported more than 15,240 fines and 269 closures related to violations of electronic payment regulations, despite connectivity issues and complaints from merchants whose suppliers also do not accept transfers.
The new measure is part of a growing government pressure on the private sector in Granma.
The provincial government also called upon small and medium enterprises and self-employed importers of food and personal hygiene products to seek "joint solutions against the cruel Yankee blockade."
The offensive also coincides with other territorial actions aimed at controlling the private sector. The authorities in Guantánamo set a reference price of 2,200 pesos per unit of oil, without specifying the brand, volume, or packaging, and announced fines, seizures, forced sales, and temporary closures against those who violate the regulations.
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