An image captured at 1 a.m. in Santiago de Cuba starkly reveals the dire circumstances faced by Cuban retirees, compelled to sleep on the pavement outside a bank in hopes of collecting their pension the next day. These payments, not only woefully inadequate, require hours of waiting and hardship.
The black-and-white photo, shared on Facebook by Yasser Sosa Tamayo, depicts several elderly individuals lying on the ground outside a bank as they await the next day's pension distribution. This scene is becoming alarmingly common across the island, where seniors arrive the night before to secure a spot in line, equipped with blankets, bags, and bottles of water, all while facing a locked door and no bank employees in sight.
"At 1 a.m., the bank was closed; they were not. They had arrived to collect their pension the following day," wrote Sosa Tamayo, describing the sight of three to four bodies sprawled directly on the pavement next to an ATM, seeking "the least painful position to endure the night."
The author highlights the absence of staff, funds, or assistance at that hour: "Just a closed door and elderly individuals trying to hold their place in a line that had yet to start."
What is most concerning is not the image itself but the normalization of such a scene: "In Cuba, we've reached a point where sleeping on the ground to collect a pension should be a source of shame. What's worse is that it hardly surprises anyone anymore."
Recurring Struggles in Santiago de Cuba
This is not an isolated incident. Throughout 2025 and 2026, reports from Santiago de Cuba consistently show retirees beginning to line up as early as 6 p.m. the previous day to ensure a spot at the bank, enduring waits of four to eight hours, with some in their 80s.
Some branches serve only about 50 retirees daily, making the overnight wait on the sidewalk a necessity for survival. Power outages exacerbate the situation, limiting the functionality of branches and ATMs—more than 50% have been reported out of service or cashless at various times this year—forcing the elderly to rise even earlier to avoid losing their place.
"The blackouts have turned these early mornings into an increasingly common sight. While some sleep, others stand vigil outside a bank to try to collect the money they'll need to survive the month," Sosa Tamayo noted.
Institutional Responses and Proposals
The minimum pension in Cuba stands at 4,000 Cuban pesos monthly, equivalent to between seven and ten dollars on the informal market, following an increase approved in September 2025 that benefited approximately 430,000 people but remains insufficient to meet living costs.
Institutional responses have largely been symbolic. Santiago de Cuba's own Bandec acknowledged that waking early to collect pensions "poses a challenge" and suggested the "Caja Extra" scheme—private businesses disbursing cash with later reimbursement from the bank—as a partial solution.
In August, a venue was opened in Santiago de Cuba to offer coffee and snacks to those waiting in line, a measure that fails to address the root of the problem. The same pattern is evident in Holguín, Cienfuegos, Havana, and Bayamo.
Sosa Tamayo directly challenges the social protection system, proposing practical solutions: "If an elderly person needs a checkbook, someone should deliver it. If they can receive payment at home, let’s organize it. If coordination is needed among the bank, social worker, postal service, and community, then it should be arranged."
His conclusion underscores the seriousness of the situation: "Last night at 1 a.m., I didn’t see a line. I saw elderly individuals keeping vigil to collect the money they need to continue living."
Understanding the Pension Crisis in Cuba
Why are Cuban retirees sleeping outside banks?
Cuban retirees are forced to sleep outside banks due to inadequate pension distribution systems. They arrive early to secure a spot in line, as branches can only serve a limited number of people each day, and power outages further complicate access to ATMs.
What is the minimum pension in Cuba?
The minimum pension in Cuba is 4,000 Cuban pesos per month, which is roughly between seven and ten dollars on the informal market. Despite recent increases, it remains insufficient to cover basic living expenses.
What measures have been proposed to address this issue?
Proposed solutions include the "Caja Extra" scheme, where private businesses provide cash with bank reimbursement, and coordinating between banks, social workers, and communities to deliver pensions directly to the elderly.