How Digital Banking in Cuba Marginalizes Us

By Laura Gomez

HAVANA TIMES – Alina asks for my help at the ATM; she needs to withdraw money from her card. She’s 82 years old and has been standing in line for a long time. She doesn’t have good vision or dexterity in her hands, and the fear of being scammed is one of the obstacles she faces every time she goes to collect her pension. In a brief conversation, Alina reflects, from her experience, on banking and the Cuban reality.

How long have you been in line at the ATM?

Uffff!!! Imagine, I arrived at five in the morning. There were already about fifteen people ahead of me. It’s always the same torture when I have to collect my money. But I have no other option; they put very little cash in, and by ten in the morning, there’s no money left in the ATM drawers. And don’t even talk about going to a bank because the lines are also endless, maybe even worse. We elderly have it very hard. There are no ATMs near my house, so to be here early, I have to start walking when the sun hasn’t even fully risen, at the risk of falling. And thank goodness I can still walk, some people depend on transportation, which is in terrible shape.

Then we stand in line for a time that’s always unpredictable. We’ve really been excluded from a society to which we contributed with sacrifices. Several times, I’ve asked the line for permission to go ahead, but it’s been in vain; they even give me dirty looks. I’ve only done it when I’m too exhausted from standing and feel faint. But I also understand; half the line is elderly like me and just as tired. The other half are young people who, instead of being productive, spend their work hours in lines. It’s all a disaster.

Aren’t you afraid to ask for help from strangers?

Honestly, it’s always a risk. I try to ask for help from people I consider decent, although scammers are disguised. There are many thefts. Recently, a neighbor had written the PIN of his magnetic card on the back, forgot the card in the ATM, and they stole all his money. I remember that some time ago in certain branches, they assigned an employee to handle the cards, which was a great help for us, but suddenly they stopped doing it, maybe because many bank workers have resigned. People have gone to work at private businesses to earn a little more. What is true is that we elderly have many disadvantages.

Which ones are you referring to?

One that’s hitting us hard is the high price of all products. We don’t have the purchasing power to cover our needs, and in my case, I live alone. With a montly pension of 1600 pesos ($5 USD), many of us face the dilemma: buy medicine, eat, or die. Many elderly people have had to return to work; you see them tired, running after buses, coming home without energy, without proper nutrition. At a certain age, one should already be at peace, but in Cuba, that’s not possible. And on top of that, we have to struggle with technology, which is no easy task.

Do you feel disadvantaged?

Of course, in every way. I think if the State doesn’t give us a phone for all its inventions, we won’t be able to acquire one, not even if they sell it in installments at a very low price. Some elderly people do manage to communicate, socialize, and navigate the digital world; but most have had to learn through trial and error, suffering, and others haven’t even been able to try due to a lack of resources, like me. We are not to blame for the mistakes made in the country regarding cash, but we suffer from them.

Ah, another disadvantage is that many are given the magnetic card to collect their pension, and they don’t even explain how to activate it, nor do they teach what a PIN is, and you have to learn the terms no matter what. When I retired, the postal workers still came to my house to bring me the money, but those were different times; today’s times are apocalyptic.

Have you informed yourself well about all the services that will be charged through the payment channels of Transfermovil and En Zona?

Yes, it’s all a disaster, not just for the elderly but also for those who aren’t so old and don’t have smartphones. I think of some bill collectors who have been left unemployed because they can no longer go into the community. Here, the electricity, gas, and water collectors used to come. All those services now must be paid through digital channels, and I can’t always be asking for favors. Even legal procedures, housing matters, and ONAT taxes have to be paid the same way.

I don’t know how the State is going to make it possible for seniors to pay with that QR code in the ration stores and other places that require electronic payment if we don’t have cell phones. If I struggle to withdraw my money from the ATM, imagine if I have to learn how to use a cell phone at my age.

So, do you think banking isn’t going to work?

Dear, I’m speaking for myself, for people my age. I try to stay updated with the news and TV programs on this topic, and the more I inform myself, the more doubts I have. Digital commerce, as they call it, is not going to solve the economic or social problem. In other countries, I’m sure it’s a success; here, there’s no infrastructure, no development, no technology. It’s something imposed, like most solutions in this country. I’ve always trusted more in having my money at home than in the bank.

What will you do when the time comes for digital payment to be the only option?

A trustworthy neighbor told me she could help me with those transactions from her phone. I just have to give her the cash. I imagine that’s what everyone who doesn’t have access to technology will do. The elderly in Cuba are increasingly unprotected and marginalized.

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