A venue in the heart of Santiago de Cuba opened its doors this week to offer coffee, cookies, and other beverages to the elderly who are waiting in line to collect their pensions, in an initiative that reveals both the community's solidarity and the precarious situation in which the Cuban regime has left its retirees.
The Ciberclub Corona, located at Enramadas corner Corona, announced the opening of its space to accompany those who visit Branch 8282 of the Banco Popular de Ahorro (BPA) during the pension payment days for the month of September, which include the increase approved in July 2025 and effective from that September.
The announcement, shared by Joven Club Santiago de Cuba, indicates that the venue will provide organized assistance and free refreshments to make the wait more bearable for seniors.
The action also involves several private businesses in the city: TCP Mimiquis, TCP Adri&Ale, TCP Candonga—located in front of Quisquella—, Bodeguita del Medio, and Panadería Barracone, which contributed resources to support the initiative.
The gesture, although welcome, exposes a reality that the Cuban state cannot hide: more than 1.7 million retirees face a torment every month to collect pensions that do not exceed 4,000 pesos monthly, less than 10 dollars at the informal exchange rate, according to data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
The long lines, early mornings in front of banks, and chronic cash shortages are a constant throughout the country. In Holguín, retirees have had to wake up as early as five in the morning to try to collect their payments, and in August many did not receive their money because cash did not arrive at the postal offices.
In Guantánamo, due to the shortcomings of the banking system, 113 private businesses paid pensions in cash to over 3,000 retirees this past Saturday, under the protection of Resolution 74/2026 of the Central Bank of Cuba, which formalized the scheme known as "Caja Extra" as of July 20.
The demographic backdrop exacerbates the scale of the problem. Cuba is the most aged country in Latin America: by the end of 2024, 25.7% of its population will be 60 years or older, a figure that in 2026 is expected to reach 26.7%, according to the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
In the face of this accelerated aging, the state care system is insufficient: there are only 156 nursing homes with 12,697 beds throughout the country, and 51 municipalities lack services for the elderly.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security itself admitted in March 2026 that "there are no resources to assist vulnerable individuals," a confession that contrasts with decades of revolutionary promises regarding social protection.
The initiative of the Ciberclub Corona was met with recognition on social media. Its promoters asked the residents of Santiago to share the information "with family, neighbors, and retired friends so they can be aware of this support point located at Enramadas and Corona."
"In times of economic and material difficulties, small gestures such as offering a seat, a coffee, water, or companionship can become a significant help for those who, after decades of work, come to collect their pension," noted the announcement from Joven Club Santiago de Cuba, a statement that, unintentionally, sums up the neglect in which the regime leaves its elderly.
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