Cuban Goes Viral Criticizing ETECSA's Price Hike: "Let's See How Much Juancito Sells His Credit For"

Amid growing discontent over the creeping dollarization of telecommunications services and the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA)'s recent announcement of a 360 Cuban peso monthly limit for mobile top-ups, a young Cuban named Alex Umur has gone viral. He humorously and critically explained the new rules in a way that resonates with many Cubans. In a video circulating on Facebook, Umur echoes the words of Lidia Esther Hidalgo Rodríguez, ETECSA's executive vice president, who stated that "the balance can continue to grow through balance transfers or international recharges." However, Hidalgo clarified that through Transfermóvil, only 360 pesos can be deposited monthly, posing a significant limitation for thousands of Cubans who do not receive remittances or international top-ups.

This is part of a scheme where ETECSA separates national balance from international top-ups, prioritizing access to services in dollars. With sarcasm, Alex Umur revisits the official announcement, highlighting that Cubans will now have to rely on others to stay connected. "Before, you could recharge as much as you wanted, whenever you wanted, using Transfermóvil. Not anymore. It's now once a month and up to 360 pesos. That's bad," he remarks.

Umur paints a picture of digital inequality in Cuba, saying, "Juancito's family abroad tops him up, Juancito sells that credit, and you buy from him to stay connected. Now we need to see how much Juancito will charge for that credit." In his viral monologue, Umur dismantles the logic of the system: international recharges remain, and you can purchase as many data packages as you wish, as long as the balance comes from abroad. Meanwhile, for those who rely on the national salary, connectivity becomes an unattainable luxury.

"The only ones who will suffer are those of us without a relative abroad. We'll have to depend on those who do and how much they'll sell that credit for because, here, we know everything is monetized, and Cubans are resourceful," he concludes.

Defiance Against "Digital Pimping"

Beyond the satire, the measure has sparked strong opposition from Cubans refusing to support a system they view as unjust. On social media, dignified citizens inside and outside the island are openly rejecting international top-ups as a form of protest. "I won't allow a single peso to be added in my name to ETECSA. I want ETECSA to starve even if I never use a cell phone again," wrote lawyer Manuel Viera.

Meanwhile, art critic Jorge de Mello announced he would leave social media, unable to afford the new prices, and accused ETECSA of engaging in "digital pimping." From exile, activist Saily González Velázquez proposed a "total halt" to recharges to Cuba. "Today it's recharges; tomorrow, they'll charge for even water in dollars... If we don't act now, we'll be complicit in digital apartheid," she warned.

ETECSA's new policy has been labeled a power-orchestrated scam, restricting national access to a bare minimum of data while favoring dollar inflow through foreign top-ups. The cheapest MLC packages—4 GB for 10 USD—are far beyond the reach of the average Cuban. Simultaneously, the new prices in Cuban pesos are unaffordable for most, with rates like 3 GB for 3,360 CUP, equivalent to several monthly minimum wages.

FEU's Unprecedented Critique

Adding to the wave of criticisms from civil society, exiles, and social media, the Federation of University Students (FEU) has taken an unprecedented critical stance, marking a milestone in the public reaction to the so-called "price hike." The FEU from various faculties of the University of Havana and the ISRI broke their silence with a joint statement openly rejecting the measure.

"The increase in data recharge costs beyond 6 GB is an obstacle that hinders our educational and professional responsibilities," they stated. The declaration, signed by student representatives from FCOM, Chemistry, Philosophy and History, Mathematics and Computer Science, InSTEC, and ISRI, is circulating on social media. The students are demanding an urgent review of the tariffs and real alternatives that do not exclude those living on national salaries.

"These provisions are detrimental to the comprehensive development of youth and society in general," they added, emphasizing that Internet access should be a right, not a privilege reserved for those receiving remittances or accessing the informal market.