As Cuba continues to grapple with a severe economic and food crisis, the authorities in Granma have levied fines reaching up to 72,000 pesos against locals selling chicken or offering services without state approval.
The Granma Provincial Inspection's Facebook page announced on Tuesday that their inspectors are actively enforcing Decree Law 91/2024. This law intensifies penalties against citizens for alleged economic violations.
According to the update, penalties ranging from 16,000 to 72,000 Cuban pesos were imposed on several individuals for engaging in activities without a license or setting what the authorities deem as "exorbitant" prices.
Crackdown on Informal Markets
A notable incident involved a chicken vendor on Figueredo Street in Bayamo who received a 72,000 peso fine for selling the meat at 420 pesos per pound. Another vendor in the same area was fined 36,000 pesos for pricing his chicken at 410 pesos per pound.
The inspectors claimed that the first vendor "impeded the inspection" and was subsequently summoned by the police through the sector chief.
Fines Extend Beyond Chicken Vendors
The report also highlighted that several self-employed individuals, known as "TCPs," were penalized for selling products without a cost sheet, each facing fines of 16,000 pesos.
Additionally, four private drivers were fined between 16,000 and 36,000 pesos for transporting passengers without an operational license, while a bus driver was penalized for charging "excessive" fares on the Bayamo-Havana route.
A self-employed worker on Jimmy Hirzel Avenue was fined 36,000 pesos for rejecting electronic payments or adding a 10% surcharge for customers choosing to pay electronically.
Widespread Economic Repression
In front of the Tuxpan restaurant, inspectors discovered the "illegal" sale of flour, beer, and other items, though the fines were not specified in the report.
The official statement concluded by asserting that inspections will persist in identifying price violations and other infractions that impact the community.
Nevertheless, the economic conditions tell a different story: with state salaries barely surpassing 6,000 pesos a month, fines in the tens of thousands have become a new form of punishment for Cubans striving to endure inflation and shortages.
These fines align with the regime's strategy to suppress private enterprise and control the informal market, which is often the only way for people to obtain basic necessities like chicken, given the State's failure to secure the family food basket.
The recent penalties in Granma are part of a broader wave of economic repression sweeping across the nation.
In Ciego de Ávila, a rice seller was fined 40,000 pesos for "price violations," while another merchant faced penalties for allegedly imposing unjustified surcharges.
Such cases illustrate the authorities' strict enforcement of Decree Law 91, even when those penalized rely on these sales for survival.
As early as October, the regime tightened controls over small vendors with fines up to 16,000 pesos for trading without a license or failing to display cost sheets, affecting even minor activities like selling bread, vegetables, or homemade food.
The official stance has been inflation control, but in practice, many measures have directly impacted self-employed workers and families dependent on the informal market.
In September, operations in Havana against street vendors resulted in images of massive seizures and desperate citizens unable to continue their daily activities.
Among those affected were elderly individuals and young people carrying fruits, sweets, or bread in makeshift carts and boxes.
FAQs About Cuban Economic Measures
What is Decree Law 91/2024?
Decree Law 91/2024 is a Cuban regulation that enforces stricter penalties for economic violations, targeting unauthorized selling and price setting.
Why are vendors being fined in Cuba?
Vendors are being fined for selling goods without a license and for allegedly setting prices that the authorities consider excessive, as part of the regime's efforts to control the informal market.
How do these fines impact the Cuban population?
The fines severely impact the Cuban population by punishing those who rely on informal sales to survive, further exacerbating the economic hardships faced by many due to inflation and shortages.