Cuban journalist and art critic Jorge Rivas Rodríguez took to Facebook on Saturday to express his concerns in a post titled "Neighborhood Markets: Sky-High Prices." He criticized the new commercial network launched by the regime, intended to replace traditional bodegas and the ration book system, for failing to deliver on its promise of making basic food items more affordable.
Having worked with the newspaper Trabajadores since the 1980s and honored with the José Antonio Fernández de Castro National Prize for Cultural Journalism in 2022, Rivas is not an outsider criticizing the system; his voice resonates from within the official cultural framework, lending significant weight to his critique.
Governed by Resolution 16/2026 from the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN), the Neighborhood Markets project has been active since August 2026 and is part of a broader package of 176 economic transformation measures by the government. The regime had assured that these markets would offer around twenty basic items at prices 10% to 15% lower than those in other stores; some announcements even hinted at deeper discounts.
Unfulfilled Promises and Rising Costs
However, Rivas points out that the promised savings are not evident. "Nowhere is this reduction clearly and broadly visible. On the contrary, some items are even cheaper when bought from private vendors than in these so-called Neighborhood Markets," he wrote, citing examples like powdered milk, rice, and wheat flour.
Price checks across various Cuban establishments during September and October 2026 reveal a grim picture of purchasing power erosion: rice packets priced at 850 Cuban pesos (CUP), powdered milk around 3,800 CUP per kilogram, eggs at 150 CUP each, and vegetable oil ranging from 2,200 to 2,800 CUP depending on the type and vendor. A photo accompanying Rivas's post depicted some prices as even higher.
The Economic Strain on Cuban Consumers
In Media Luna, Granma province, a customer calculated that buying one unit of each of the 22 items advertised in a new neighborhood market would total 12,740 CUP, equivalent to nearly four monthly minimum wages of 3,210 CUP. This income equated to just over $4 at the informal exchange rate per dollar as of early October.
Rivas also highlights a structural paradox: "While operators receive tax benefits and are allowed to use state premises, consumers do not see these benefits reflected in the product prices." The supposed price cuts fail to reach those who need them the most.
Political Implications and Economic Realities
Official annual inflation reached 25.19% in August 2026, yet independent estimates put it significantly higher when including informal market prices. In this context, Rivas describes food shopping as "a distressing decision: buying rice or milk might mean forgoing medication, transportation, or other essential expenses."
The journalist further questions the political motivations behind these changes. The ration book, established in 1962, ensured at least a regulated quota of basic goods; its gradual dismantling, he argues, has not led to abundance but rather a new form of exclusion. "The paradox is clear: dismantling a state system that, despite its insufficiencies and scarcity, at least guaranteed a regulated quota of basic goods, is replaced by a commercial network where prices depend on one's ability to pay," he wrote.
The regime has identified 1,913 out of more than 12,000 existing bodegas to serve vulnerable populations with a monthly allocation of five pounds of rice, one pound of sugar, and one pound of grains for 883,000 beneficiaries. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero has suggested transitioning from generalized subsidies to this targeted model, but Rivas argues that without transparent controls and genuinely affordable prices, the change is not a reform but merely a shift from managed scarcity to marketed inequality.
Understanding the Challenges of Cuban Economic Reforms
What are the Neighborhood Markets in Cuba?
The Neighborhood Markets are a new commercial network initiated by the Cuban regime to replace traditional bodegas and the ration book system, with the intention of providing basic food items at reduced prices.
Why does Jorge Rivas criticize the Neighborhood Markets?
Jorge Rivas criticizes the Neighborhood Markets for failing to deliver on their promise of lower prices for basic food items, arguing that some products are even cheaper when bought from private vendors.
What are the economic implications of the Neighborhood Markets?
The economic implications include rising costs for consumers, as promised price reductions are not materializing, leading to increased financial strain on Cuban households.