Don’t Steal My Eggs
HAVANA TIMES – For many, Cuba is no longer the safe country, the paradise of tranquility that travel agencies promote. Something as mundane as taking out your cell phone on the street or walking alone at night is a game of Russian roulette without the glamor of Las Vegas. Reports from citizens and the independent press confirm an increase in violence in the first five months of 2023.
On June 6, 2023, the Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Monsignor Dionisio García, denounced the escalation of crimes, after the parents of the priest Leandro Naun Hung were assaulted by people who broke into his home to rob him. “May the honest and safe life that we need and deserve take over our cities and homes,” said the parish priest through the archdiocese’s social networks.
Along with growing insecurity, inflation has become the main star of the domestic economy. Expert calculations place it at 200%. So, it is not surprising that a carton of 30 eggs tripled its price in the last 12 months and that it cost between 1,600 and 2,000 pesos in the informal market. At state retail stores, things are not looking good either. According to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), year-on-year inflation in the formal market reached 45.69% in April 2023, amid extreme shortages.
As security becomes a luxury and the economy looks like an unbalanced board game, the Cuban government continues to pursue the dream of what people have called the “Russification 2.0” of the Cuban economy.
It is generally accepted that the Russian attack upon Ukraine is a major factor in the virtually world wide inflation which varies from 5/6% to the rampant level in Cuba where in three years, the peso has dropped in value from 25 = 1 US $, to 200 = 1US $.
Under the direction of the puppet Diaz-Canel Bermudez, Cuba has adopted approval of the policies of Vladamir Putin towards eradication of Ukraine as a nation, in favour of being absorbed into the Russian Bear’s voracious gut.
There are consequences for Cuba. Canada has for many years been by far the largest contributor to Cuba’s tourism revenues, but change due to opposition to Russia’s actions and support for Ukraine, has resulted in Canadian consumers ceasing travel to Cuba. Canadian airline figures are indicative of the future.
Westjet has cancelled all flights until October 30. Transat is doing one flight per week until ceasing on October 4. Air Canada has ceased all flights to Havana. Sunwing has made serious reductions.
These commercial decisions reflect Canadian travel consumers choice to avoid Cuba. All those new hotels (along only with new jails) were constructed in anticipation of increased tourism, will it come from Russia, or Belarus?
The economic effects are obvious. Having re-adopted Russian domination, Cuba must now accept the consequences. With friends like those………..!