The Periódico Girón, the official organ of the Communist Party of Cuba in Matanzas, announced a new chapter in its YouTube program Foco de Atención that will be dedicated to investigating the rampant increase in prices in the country.
The state media published on Facebook a preview video that highlights the paradox with one single fact: in the Versalles neighborhood, a bag of milk reached a price of 6,500 pesos, while at another store in the same city, it was sold for 4,500 pesos.
The minimum wage in Cuba, since July of this year, is just 3,210 pesos per month, which means that this basic product can cost twice as much as what a worker earns in a month.
"About 6,500 pesos, that's what a bag of milk came to cost. But who decides how much it’s worth? Is it the government, the merchant, or the much-discussed supply and demand? In 60 days, the rules of survival have changed, but there is one question that remains unanswered: Who sets the price?" the video states.
It is striking that a government-affiliated outlet is the one to initiate this debate. Girón acknowledged in August that the Cuban state has "little or no" leeway to curb inflation, and admitted that the dependence on imports is one of the causes of the increase.
The escalation intensified following the enactment of the Resolution 150/2026 of the Cuban regime, which in June removed national price caps on chopped chicken, cooking oils, powdered milk, pasta, and sausages, citing the rise in the dollar exchange rate and fuel shortages.
After that measure, prices skyrocketed uncontrollably. The price of oil rose from around 1,500 pesos in April to more than 4,000 in August, with some areas seeing prices as high as 7,000 pesos.
The provincial government of Matanzas attempted to contain the damage by setting local reference prices for powdered milk and enabling hotlines for citizen complaints. In September, 46 establishments were closed for price violations, yet the situation did not visibly improve.
The comments on the video from Periódico Girón reflect the accumulated outrage. "The price is set by whoever wants to," wrote one user. Another person noted, "The price is set by the seller and no one cares." A third pointed to the responsible party: "We can thank our government for its useless good measures."
Other commentators expanded the picture beyond just milk. "If it were only about milk: a pound of chicken here in Matanzas is 800 pesos, ham is 1,000, a bag of rice is 870, etc.," detailed an internet user.
The salary increase of 53% approved by the regime in July — which raised the minimum wage from 2,100 to 3,210 pesos — was obliterated by inflation before Cubans could experience any relief.
A Cuban recently demonstrated that with 5,000 pesos —just over a minimum wage— it barely covers the cost of basic products.
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