Lino García, better recognized as El Creador Cubano, encountered a tumultuous first day in Caracas, struggling to use the thousand dollars in cash he had brought along. Unable to purchase food or hail a taxi, he was caught off guard by the complexities of Venezuela's monetary system.
His distress was vividly captured in a video uploaded to Facebook, where he urgently sought assistance from fellow Cubans residing in the Venezuelan capital, yet maintained his signature optimistic demeanor.
"Without a bank account here, you'll go insane. I have a thousand dollars in cash, all in hundred-dollar bills, and there isn't a single damn place that will exchange it," García expressed in the video. "Honestly, I wouldn't advise anyone to come to this country—it's a disaster."
The Digital Dilemma
The root of the issue, as explained by the taxi driver who picked him up upon arrival, is that Venezuela predominantly operates through digital transactions. Without a local bank account, García couldn't access Pago Móvil, the system handling most financial operations in the country, which requires a Venezuelan bank account, local phone number, and identification details.
"If you don't have an account here, you'll have to pay for everything with dollars, but try to have smaller bills," the taxi driver advised. The challenge was that García only had hundred-dollar bills, and merchants often lacked cash change for such high denominations.
"This is worse than Cuba," lamented the influencer.
Exploring Extreme Destinations
The trip to Venezuela is part of a series of journeys that El Creador Cubano describes as tours through "extreme" destinations with Cuban communities.
Months prior, he had visited Moscow, where he documented heart-wrenching stories of Cubans living in precarious migratory situations, sharing tales of illegal stays, police raids, and labor exploitation.
FAQs about El Creador Cubano's Experience in Venezuela
Why couldn't El Creador Cubano use his cash in Venezuela?
Venezuela primarily operates on digital transactions, and without a local bank account, he couldn't use the Pago Móvil system, making it difficult to conduct financial transactions.
What advice did the taxi driver give to El Creador Cubano?
The taxi driver advised him to use smaller bills if paying with cash since many merchants do not have change for large denominations like hundred-dollar bills.
What other destinations has El Creador Cubano visited?
He has also visited Moscow, where he reported on the difficult conditions faced by Cubans dealing with illegal residency, police raids, and labor exploitation.