Havanan residents met the municipal inspectors from Plaza de la Revolución with sarcasm on Thursday as they inspected private commercial establishments, resulting in 61 fines, the withdrawal of seven business permits, and 25 forced product sales.
The operation targeted 50 non-state-run businesses and identified three with recorded violations: the EJT Agro Market at 17 and K, the Hurón Azul Market, and the Delfín Sales Point. This report, released by the Municipal Administration Council and shared by Canal Habana on social media, highlighted the findings.
The public's response was quick and ironic: "Go to TRD and CIMEX," echoed many Cubans online, pointing out that state-run stores—TRD Caribe and CIMEX—also sell goods at high prices or in foreign currencies unattainable for most citizens.
This contradiction has a tangible basis: the government itself removed the retail price ceilings for items like chicken, oil, powdered milk, sausages, and pasta with Resolution 150/2026, which in turn inflated the costs of these products in the non-state market. Now, the government penalizes private vendors for pricing issues that its policies created.
Inspectors at the EJT Agro Market flagged speculative pricing on chicken and milk, the absence of required national electronic payment systems as mandated by the Ministry of Internal Trade's Resolution 93/2023, and the use of personal bank accounts for business transactions instead of fiscal accounts.
The fines amounted to 10,000 pesos for pricing, 36,000 for lacking payment gateways, and 72,000 for using personal accounts.
At the Hurón Azul Market, located at Humboldt and P, inspectors found workers without labor contracts and sausages sold at prices deemed in violation of current regulations, according to the official statement. Penalties reached 10,000 and 16,000 pesos under Decree 30 and Decree Law 91/2024.
The Delfín Sales Point, situated at 21 between 8 and 10, also showed non-fiscal accounts and an employee without a formal labor contract. Additionally, a forced sale of food products was conducted.
This operation is not isolated. On Wednesday, a preliminary inspection at Plaza de la Revolución resulted in 20 control actions, 17 fines, and three forced sales, with explicit warnings of temporary closures for up to three months for repeat offenders.
Pressure on the private sector has been steadily increasing. Between December 2024 and 2026, over 508,000 inspections were conducted nationwide in a single week, leading to hundreds of thousands of fines and mass business closures. In 2026 alone, 15,240 fines and 269 closures were recorded for banking regulation violations.
As the regime continues its crackdown on private entrepreneurs, Cubans face an ongoing economic crisis marked by widespread shortages, while state-run stores offered as alternatives maintain prices that most cannot afford.
Impact of Government Policies on Cuban Private Sector
Why are Cuban citizens sarcastically suggesting inspections at TRD and CIMEX?
Cubans are highlighting the irony that state-run stores also sell products at high prices, often in foreign currencies inaccessible to the general population, similar to the private vendors being penalized.
What led to the increase in product prices in Cuba's private sector?
The Cuban government's Resolution 150/2026 removed retail price caps on essential goods, which significantly raised product costs in the non-state market.
What are the consequences of the recent inspections on private businesses?
Recent inspections led to numerous fines, revocation of business permits, forced sales, and warnings of potential temporary closures for non-compliance with regulations.