Tension Escalates in Havana Bank Line as Cash Crisis Deepens

A video shared on Facebook by Cuban activist Silverio Portal captures the growing frustration of Havana residents standing in line at a bank, as they confront the harsh realities of a state in decline. The video, recorded this week, portrays a community on the brink of desperation, with tempers flaring and discontent boiling over.

Desperation in the Queue

As the camera pans across the lengthy line outside a bank branch, Portal's voice resonates with anger: "There's no money, nothing is left, everything is lost. Even the world knows, even the Eskimos are aware." The tension is palpable, with heated exchanges between individuals in the queue. "Don't touch me," one person warns, while another tries to calm the situation: "Let's stay calm." This scene underscores the desperation and hopelessness among those who wait for hours, often with no assurance of receiving cash.

A Regime Held Accountable

Near the end of the video, Portal displays a poster depicting a grinning Fidel Castro, emblazoned with the slogan: "For Cuba, united, we shall overcome." Portal delivers a scathing indictment: "Look at this... a man who brought a nation to ruin." The poster serves as a poignant symbol of the country's ongoing struggles, highlighting the disconnect between the regime's promises and the current economic collapse.

Banking System in Crisis

This situation is far from unique. Since August 2023, the government has limited cash withdrawals from ATMs to a maximum of 5,000 pesos per transaction, yet this has done little to alleviate the shortage of physical currency. The government's contradictory stance forces citizens to rely on banks that cannot fulfill their needs, creating widespread frustration.

By April 2026, reports from EFE highlighted the plight of Havana's elderly, who endure lines of four to six hours to collect pensions worth less than $10 on the black market. In Holguín, seniors queue from 5 AM for their meager pensions, which have been set at a minimum of 4,000 pesos since September 2025, despite living costs exceeding 35,000 pesos monthly. A survey by the Independent Trade Union Association of Cuba in 2025 revealed that 99% of 506 retirees surveyed across five provinces stated their pensions were insufficient for basic sustenance.

Structural Failures Exposed

The current economic turmoil stems from decades of systemic issues: frequent power outages disable ATMs and digital platforms, outdated equipment, lack of internet access, and growing distrust in the enforced banking system. In July 2025, Banco Metropolitano acknowledged a "cash shortage" and deterioration of ATM networks. By December, they ceased remittance services due to "lack of cash." In November, a "human tide" of over a hundred people gathered at a Marianao bank, underscoring the collapse.

With banks unable to provide cash, the Central Bank launched a pilot program to pay pensions through private businesses that manage cash reserves, implicitly admitting the state system's failure. Meanwhile, Cubans nationwide continue to ask why accessing their own money has become an extraordinary challenge.

The video by Portal, recorded in June 2026, stands as the latest evidence of a crisis that, according to a Cuban intellectual quoted recently, has reached a point where "people are dying of starvation" on the island.