The management of the Hotel Internacional de Varadero, part of the state-run Gran Caribe chain, officially informed its staff that the payment of the advance on profits for the third quarter of 2026 is postponed, citing that the close of September showed a loss of 50 million pesos in relation to the planned income for that period.
According to the document published by the reporter Christian Arbolaez, the statement is signed by the Director of Human Capital, the Economic Director, the General Secretary of the Union, and the Secretary of the PCC at the hotel.
The text explains that the decision aims to "protect the hotel's economic situation and prevent the accumulated earnings from turning negative."
Instead, the administration will jointly distribute what is accumulated in the third and fourth quarters at the end of the year.
As an additional argument, the document points out that during the same accounting period a salary change was implemented, establishing a minimum of 15,012 Cuban pesos and a maximum scale of 60,180 pesos, amounts that —according to management— exceed what the workers would have received in terms of profits.
The statement was leaked to social media and sparked an immediate debate among Cubans both on the Island and abroad.
Several people questioned the justification for the hotel. "That's the Internacional, which is the hotel that is generating the most revenue from the nightclub and the pool parties they host. How must the other hotels be faring?" wrote one user.
Another pointed to a practice they deemed systematic: "It's always like this: in the final months of the year, when there are profits, they account for what they spent months earlier to avoid losses, plus the expenses for their cars and other purchases. Shameless and exploiting the workers."
A former hotel industry worker supported that statement: "That's right. I was one of those victims of workers for many years in different hotels, until I left." Another comment was more succinct: "What a lack of respect for the worker."
In the opposing view, a voice identified as part of the hotel collective defended the management and urged against politicizing the matter: "This collective has full confidence that the most appropriate actions will be taken to protect its workers. We are convinced that any decision made was correct and formally discussed with the aim of benefiting the entire collective."
Another person, however, pointed to fear as a determining factor: "I believe that almost no one will have the courage to publicly complain about that decision, which is why we are where we are."
The episode takes place during the worst moment for Cuban tourism in decades. Between January and September 2026, Cuba received only 477,707 international visitors, a decrease of approximately 65% compared to the same period the previous year.
Varadero, the country's main sun and beach destination, has been one of the hardest hit, with hotel occupancy rates falling below 10% this year.
The Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz acknowledged in July that 73% of the country's hotel facilities remained closed and that around 25,000 workers in the sector were in a state of "availability", an official euphemism referring to those who do not have active employment but maintain a labor connection.
The regulations governing these payments, Resolution 2/2026 of the National Institute of State Enterprises Administration, published in the Official Gazette in July 2026, allow quarterly advances of up to 50% of the available profit, contingent upon the company not having tax debts and possessing sufficient liquidity.
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