A Cuban woman shared a video showing how an ice cream order that her family calculated at state price ended up costing 2,000 pesos, a sum that contrasts sharply with Cuban salaries and the official rhetoric of a system that claims to be "for the humble, by the humble, and of the humble."
Yannelis Martínez Yero posted the testimony on Facebook this Saturday. She recounted that her father had ordered 10 scoops of ice cream, convinced that each one cost 45 pesos, the price he had paid the day before for the product made by the State.
However, upon receiving the order, they learned that each ball sold by a private micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (mipyme) cost 200 pesos.
The author of the video clarified that she did not blame the supplier, as it is an authorized business, but she questioned how much that price represents in relation to the salary of a Cuban worker.
The question highlights a daily contradiction on the island, where the prices of some goods and services increasingly diverge from the incomes of a significant portion of the population.
According to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), the average state salary in Cuba in August was 7,354 pesos per month, equivalent to about nine dollars at the informal exchange rate. With that income, a single scoop of ice cream costing 200 pesos represents nearly 2.7% of the average monthly salary.
The gap is greater when compared to independent estimates of the cost of living. A Cuban family needs around 96,000 pesos per month to cover their basic needs, which is about 14 times the official average salary, according to an estimate published in June.
The images show the remodeled La Arboleda, featuring modern decor, electric carts, and renewed umbrellas, but it is almost empty. The scene contrasts with the long lines that historically characterized the popular ice cream parlor in Santiago and with the memories of those who could enjoy its products without the prices being a disproportionate expense.
"With five pesos we were happy in La Arboleda," commented one user. Another remembered when a scoop of ice cream cost 25 cents, while a resident of Santiago shared that he approached with the intention of buying, but upon learning the price, he decided to leave.
"Cuban quality; Dubai prices; they might change the name, it's no longer an ice cream shop but a museum," quipped another internet user.
The comments also included references to higher prices in other private establishments in the eastern city, such as one managed by musician Juan Guillermo Almeida: "At JG's in Santiago de Cuba, the cheapest is 600 pesos, in San Félix and San Basilio," it noted.
The reactions reflect the clash between the prices of these products and the purchasing power of consumers. "If we were really paid for what we do in our jobs, then 200 pesos wouldn’t be a problem," noted a user.
Another person summarized the problem with a more blunt statement: "A completely impoverished population cannot afford 200 pesos for a scoop of ice cream."
Yannelis herself concluded her reflection with a question about the gap between political promises and the everyday experiences of citizens. "What happened to that idea of a system that claimed to be for the humble and by the humble? At what stage are we?" she wrote.
In August, the Guantánamo Dairy Products Company triggered outrage by selling its Anacaona ice cream exclusively in dollars at a store in the Cimex chain, which excluded those who earn in pesos.
In June, the Coppelia in Sancti Spíritus reopened with scoops at 125 pesos, minimal portions, and crystallized ice cream, while in February, a family of six spent 4,200 pesos on ice cream, after five months without tasting it.
The official year-on-year inflation rate reached 28.44% in September, while food and beverages accounted for 73.39% of the monthly variation in the consumer price index.
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