YouTuber Anita Mateu explains in her video “The truth regarding Supermarkets in Cuba. I spent more than in Spain” the harsh reality that Cubans experience when making their purchases.
In a route by one of the largest MLC stores in Sancti Spíritus, Mateu shows empty shelves, products with exorbitant prices and a limited variety of options.
“The prices are equivalent to those in Spain, and in some cases, even higher,” he says. A package of pasta costs $1.75, a kilo of rice costs $3.40, and shampoo costs $7.50. The scarcity is evident: there is only one brand of shampoo and only one drink in the entire beverage section.
Most Cubans do not have access to these stores, since they do not earn in dollars or euros. “I can help my family because I have euros on my card, but most families don’t have that option,” says Mateu.
The alternative is to buy from resellers on the street or from private businesses, where prices are even higher, but at least you can pay in Cuban pesos.
SHOPPING IN CUBA
The shopping experience itself is daunting, he finds. “The refrigerators are empty,” “there is nothing,” “the prices are quite expensive,” Mateu describes.
His purchase of five packages of Mac and cheese, two pepperoni and a 3.5kg Gouda cheese cost him 57.30 euros. He paid $39 for the cheese alone. “Honestly, I find it very expensive,” she says. “In Spain, with 50 euros, I make a much larger purchase.”
The opinions on the video coincide in their criticism of the current situation in Cuba. The difficulty in acquiring basic products due to high prices is highlighted, referring to the helplessness that this reality generates for those who live on the island and for those who know it.
It is mentioned that the survival of many Cubans depends on remittances sent by relatives living abroad. Likewise, the situation is compared with other countries, such as Miami and the Dominican Republic, where prices are considerably lower.
Anita Mateu’s video is a reflection of the difficult economic situation that Cuba is going through. High inflation has made the national currency not enough to cover basic expenses, and supermarkets in MLC, far from being a solution, have become a symbol of inequality and scarcity.
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