Five businesses were shut down in Bayamo, Granma province, for refusing to accept payments via bank transfer and will be audited by the National Tax Administration Office (ONAT), amid the official campaign to enforce the use of electronic payment gateways in private establishments.
The state broadcaster CMKX Radio Bayamo reported that the shutdowns occurred in the morning, citing the Coordinadora Economía profile as the source.
Meanwhile, this account linked to the Granma government confirmed in another Facebook post that the businesses that closed "for not accepting transfers to the public" will be monitored by the ONAT.
The authorities did not identify the establishments that were closed down 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 implement against businesses that refused electronic payments.
In that post, the profile displayed 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 action in Bayamo became known a day after a monitoring operation in Sancti Spíritus resulted in over 200 fines and the closure of at least five businesses due to violations primarily related to pricing and, to a lesser extent, electronic payment channels.
Among the irregularities detected in that province was 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 over 15,240 fines and 269 closures related to violations of electronic payment regulations, despite connectivity challenges and complaints from merchants whose suppliers also do not accept transfers.
The new measure is part of increasing government pressure on the private sector in Granma.
The provincial government also called upon micro, small, and medium enterprises and self-employed importers of food and personal hygiene products to seek "joint solutions in the face of the harsh 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, confiscations, forced sales, and temporary closures against those who violate the regulations.
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