Two young men were arrested in Guantánamo during the San Joaquín festivities for attempting to pay with a counterfeit 2,000 Cuban peso bill in the area of the 28 de Septiembre plaza, according to the official Facebook profile «Guantánamo y su Verdad».
The arrest was made following a report from a self-employed worker who detected the irregularity, noted a source linked to the Ministry of the Interior (Minint).
Both individuals remain under police investigation as authorities delve deeper into the inquiries.
What makes the incident particularly noteworthy is the denomination of the counterfeit bill.
The Central Bank of Cuba issued the 2,000 and 5,000 peso bills in April 2026, a measure met with skepticism given the liquidity crisis affecting the island.
That in less than four months this denomination is already being counterfeited reflects the speed at which fraudsters adapt to new monetary issues.
The profile itself acknowledged having previously warned the public about other counterfeit bills—specifically those of 500 and 1,000 pesos—also detected in the province.
The perfect setting for fraud
The San Joaquín Festival, celebrated from August 15 to 17, with a large influx of people and numerous nighttime transactions, provided conducive conditions for the attempt at fraud.
This is compounded by the widespread rejection of electronic transfers in the informal trade, which forces the handling of large volumes of cash.
A commentator summed it up this way: "Considering the refusal to accept transfers and the high prices, it's surprising that this hasn't happened before. I can just imagine the clerk counting and checking the bills one by one, especially at night. That's one of the risks of using cash."
Division of opinions: tough measures or presumption of innocence
The publication generated an intense and divided citizen reaction. Some demanded exemplary sanctions: "May the full force of the law come down on them, let no one hesitate," wrote one user; another was more blunt: "Zero tolerance. An iron fist with these criminals."
But there were also voices calling for an investigation into the origin of the bills: "How quickly that bill was invented. Get to the bottom of the problem."
There was also a recurring question about why official publications conceal the faces of those involved: "Why do they always cover their faces? Let the people know them so that no one falls."
Guantánamo, epicenter of counterfeiting
The Guantanamo province has a recent history of fraud involving counterfeit currency.
In July, alerts were circulated about fake 1,000 peso bills crafted from authentic 200 peso bills that were in circulation in the Sur Hospital area.
This month, new reports pointed to counterfeit 500 peso bills regarding five peso bills, with detectable irregularities visible to the naked eye.
The most serious incident dates back to November 2025, when authorities dismantled a national network of fraudsters in Guantánamo involving counterfeit dollars: eight individuals were arrested and the estimated fraud amounted to nearly six million pesos and 1,000 dollars.
Penalties of up to 10 years for forgery
The Cuban Penal Code punishes the counterfeiting, alteration, introduction, or circulation of currency with imprisonment for four to ten years, a regulation that includes both the production and possession of counterfeit bills for the purpose of circulation.
Authorities urged merchants and self-employed individuals to carefully check high-denomination bills and to immediately contact the police if any suspicions arise.
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