Recently leaked photos expose the contents of a warehouse allegedly controlled by GAESA, the Cuban government's economic arm, filled with mattresses and hygiene products. This revelation comes as millions of Cubans struggle to access these essential items.
The images were shared on Facebook this Tuesday by journalist Mario J. Pentón using the hashtag #denunciaciudadana. The post claims that the warehouse is stocked with mattresses and personal hygiene items.
Inside the Secret Warehouse
The five photographs depict a massive industrial facility featuring metal beam ceilings, fluorescent lighting, and concrete flooring. The aisles are lined with rows of pallets holding mattresses wrapped in clear stretch film, secured with straps bearing the initials "GI" and the brand "GARSO."
Industrial shelves stacked with uniform orange and brown cardboard boxes line the walls of the warehouse. Several images show pixelated or blurred areas, suggesting digital editing to obscure identifiable individuals or objects before public release.
Amidst a Humanitarian Crisis
This exposé holds significant weight in the context of Cuba's ongoing humanitarian crisis, characterized by severe and chronic shortages of mattresses and hygiene products.
Following hurricanes Oscar in October 2024 and Melissa in November 2025, thousands of affected citizens waited weeks for state-promised mattresses. In Guantánamo, after cyclone Melissa, 1,580 state-reserved units were sold for 3,730 pesos to victims, while others were distributed freely.
Authorities documented the seizure of dozens of mattresses intended for illegal resale, diverted from official distributions meant for hurricane victims in Santiago de Cuba.
GAESA's Economic Stronghold
In hospitals like Juan Bruno Zayas in Santiago de Cuba, the Military Industries Union of the FAR donated only 100 mattresses to reach 800 beds in December 2025. Months earlier, in February 2025, elderly residents of the Hospital Docente Mártires de Bolivia were sleeping without sheets on worn-out mattresses.
GAESA, managed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), exerts control over 40% to 70% of the Cuban economy, operating with complete opacity, without oversight from the Central Bank or the Comptroller General of the Republic.
The conglomerate dominates 95% of the country's foreign currency transactions, with reserves estimated at over 18 billion dollars. In 2024, it received 9.26 billion Cuban pesos from the state and paid only 920 million in local taxes, contributing nothing in foreign currency.
In October 2025, the United States labeled GAESA as more of a repressive mechanism than a commercial enterprise.
Economic analyst Emilio Morales succinctly describes the situation: a military elite governs while the government complies.
Understanding GAESA's Role in Cuba's Economy
What is GAESA?
GAESA, or Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., is a conglomerate controlled by the Cuban military, dominating a large portion of the island's economy with minimal transparency and oversight.
Why are the leaked images significant?
The images are significant because they reveal stockpiled essential goods like mattresses and hygiene products, highlighting the disparity between the government's reserves and the shortages faced by Cuban citizens.
How did GAESA gain such economic power in Cuba?
GAESA gained power through its connections with the Revolutionary Armed Forces, leveraging military influence to control significant sectors of the economy, including tourism, retail, and foreign currency transactions.