Luxuries Out of Reach for Cuba's Elderly: Ice Cream, Coffee, and Fried Chicken

The humanitarian initiative Aliento de Vida, marking its 10th anniversary in Havana, has highlighted the stark realities faced by Cuba's elderly with limited resources. They shared heartfelt testimonies from seniors who expressed three wishes each—requests that, far from being luxurious, are basic food items unattainable with a Cuban pension.

Yankiel Fernández, the coordinator of Aliento de Vida, stated that the project aims to amplify the voices of the elderly and facilitate solidarity to fulfill these modest desires. "They either indulge once or rely on divine providence for the rest of the month," Fernández mentioned on his Facebook profile.

To aid this effort, account numbers in CUP and MLC, along with a Zelle option in the United States, have been shared for those willing to contribute. It's emphasized that even the smallest donation can provide significant relief to these individuals.

The response on social media has been swift, with numerous users inquiring about ways to provide financial support. Images of elderly individuals wishing for a simple treat like a malt with milk reveal the stark challenges of aging in a nation where pensions fail to meet basic needs.

This situation underscores the harsh reality in Cuba: reaching old age and finding that a mere ice cream is an unattainable luxury. Increasingly common are scenes of elderly people rummaging through garbage for food, while independent organizations warn of the worsening food crisis in the country.

In late April, an official report by the newspaper Girón in Matanzas exposed the squalor endured by thousands of retirees forced to survive on the streets after decades of work. Content creator Sheyla from Matanzas recently showcased in a video what a Cuban retiree can purchase with a monthly pension of 1,500 Cuban pesos, roughly three dollars on the informal exchange market, amid the island’s deep economic crisis.

Additionally, Cuban YouTuber Iván Valdés Permuy, known as Listillo Cubano, toured Havana streets distributing cash to seniors who disclosed their pension amounts, highlighting the paltry sums received by tens of thousands of retirees after a lifetime of labor.

Orlando Regueiro Castellano, an 83-year-old from Baraguá in Ciego de Ávila, explained recently that he lacks money for food and wanders the streets asking for "a piece of bread," with most unable to assist him.

On July 16, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz announced to the National Assembly of People's Power that starting September 1, pensions for retirees currently receiving up to 4,000 pesos monthly will be increased. According to Resolution 14/2025 published in the Official Gazette No. 71, this measure aims to "guarantee" better protection for the most vulnerable segments of the Cuban population.

The initiative is expected to benefit 1,324,599 individuals, representing 79% of the country's pensioners. The minimum pension is now slightly over 3,000 pesos, with the maximum not exceeding 4,000—figures insufficient to cover the basic basket amidst soaring living costs and increasingly restricted access to essential goods.

Currently, official data indicates that 39% of Cuban retirees receive the minimum monthly pension equivalent to 1,528 CUP, placing them at high risk of extreme poverty. The situation is especially dire for those without family abroad to send dollars, necessary for a balanced diet in their final years.

These seniors rely solely on rationed supplies from state-run stores, plagued by extreme shortages and delays in distributing basic foodstuffs like rice and sugar. The uncontrolled inflation resulting from the botched economic reform known as Ordenamiento has inflated prices of essential goods, while wages stagnate, eroding the purchasing power of Cubans weary of queues, blackouts, hunger, and hopelessness.