The Cuban journalist and film critic Frank Padrón scoffed this Saturday at the uselessness of ATMs in Cuba, which, in his opinion, have ceased to dispense cash and even to function as terminals for inquiry and transfer.
In a post shared on his Facebook profile titled "The Ornamentation of Banks," Padrón described the gradual loss of utility of these devices. First, they were moved from outside to inside the branches; then they stopped dispensing cash and were reduced to offering consultations and transfers. Now, according to the journalist, they no longer even fulfill those functions.
"There is no power, or if there is, there is no connection, or the little energy available if it goes to the boxes cannot reach the cashier, or the rollers are not working," he wrote.
His conclusion was even more emphatic. "I said decorations, but the cashiers have rather become a metaphor."
More than 60% of the ATMs in Havana were out of service in October and November. The Metropolitan Bank, which manages over 500 devices across the 15 municipalities of the capital, had only about 200 operational in June. The electrical crisis is among the direct causes of these outages.
The reactions to the publication reflected the users' discomfort. "Necessary infrastructure not renewed or that does not function without power. Another negligence that affects the people due to a lack of long-term planning," commented a follower.
Another person summarized the situation with irony by describing the equipment as "the museum-worthy part of the Bank." A third individual questioned the resources invested in infrastructure that has now become unusable. "How many millions were spent on something that they themselves turned into useless junk? Who is accountable for that?" she asked.
"Like everything in this country, soon we will have nothing at all," wrote another citizen.
The deterioration of ATMs is one of the most visible problems of the mandatory banking system promoted by the government since August 2023.
The cash shortage has also fueled an informal market where intermediaries provided only 600 pesos in cash for every 1,000 transferred, a 40% commission that reflects the urgency of those who need to access physical money.
In June, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Banco Metropolitano in Old Havana and reported that employees were disabling the ATMs to prevent people from "bothering".
In August 2025, a cash machine was stoned during a blackout in the Havana neighborhood of Santos Suárez. In Camagüey, elderly individuals were also reported sleeping in the doorways of banks to ensure a spot in line the following day.
The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel himself acknowledged in October during his radio program that "banking cannot be imposed" on all Cubans. He also announced the installation of photovoltaic panels in bank branches so that "with a blackout, there won't be a banking blackout."
The promise contrasts with a reality in which citizens continue to rely on a banking infrastructure unable to guarantee basic services. The banking system, presented by the Government as a necessary transformation of the economy, continues to clash with the lack of electricity, cash, and operational conditions.
Related videos:
Filed under: