Two young people were arrested in Guantánamo during the San Joaquín festivities for attempting to pay with a counterfeit bill of 2,000 Cuban pesos in the area of the 28 de Septiembre square, according to the official Facebook profile "Guantánamo y su Verdad."
The arrest was made possible thanks to the report of a self-employed worker who detected the irregularity.
Both individuals involved remain under police investigation as authorities continue to deepen their inquiries.
What makes the incident particularly striking is the denomination of the counterfeit bill.
The Central Bank of Cuba recently issued 2,000 and 5,000 peso notes a few months ago, in April 2026, a measure met with skepticism due to the liquidity crisis facing the island.
That in less than four months this denomination is already circulating counterfeit reflects the speed with which fraudsters adapt to new currency issues.
The profile itself acknowledged having previously warned the population about other counterfeit bills - in that case, 500 and 1,000 pesos - also detected in the province.
Guantánamo, epicenter of counterfeiting
The Guantanamo province has a recent history of fraud involving counterfeit currency.
In July, alerts about counterfeit 1,000 peso bills made using authentic 200 peso bills shook the Sur Hospital area.
Few weeks later, new reports pointed to counterfeit 500 peso bills regarding five peso bills, with irregularities detectable at first glance.
The most serious incident dates back to November 2025, when authorities dismantled a national network of scammers in Guantánamo using counterfeit dollars: eight individuals were arrested, with estimated fraud amounting to nearly six million pesos and 1,000 dollars.
The perfect setting for fraud
The Festivals of San Joaquín, held from August 15 to 17, with a large influx of people and numerous nighttime transactions, provided favorable conditions for attempts at fraud.
This is compounded by the widespread rejection of electronic transfers in informal trade, which forces the handling of large volumes of cash.
A commentator summarized it this way: "Considering the refusal to accept transfers and the high prices, the unusual thing is that it hasn't happened before. I can already 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 reaction from the public.
One part demanded exemplary sanctions: "Let them feel the full weight of the law, and no one should hesitate," wrote a user; another was more blunt: "Zero tolerance. Tough action against these criminals."
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 hide the faces of those involved: "Why do they always cover their faces? Let the people see them so that no one falls for it."
Prison sentences of up to 10 years for forgery
The Cuban Penal Code penalizes the forgery, alteration, introduction, or circulation of currency with imprisonment ranging from four to ten years, a standard that encompasses both the manufacturing and possession of counterfeit bills for circulation purposes.
Authorities urged merchants and self-employed individuals to carefully verify high-denomination bills and to immediately contact the police if they have any suspicions.
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