Money on the card, rice impossible to buy: Cuban woman has gone months without being able to use her salary

A woman in Cuba tries to use an ATM with no funds while a long line of people waits on the street. (Illustrative image Infobae) Having her salary deposited on a card and not being able to buy even rice or toiletries is the situation a young Cuban woman denounced on social media. According to her account, the inability to access the money accumulated over three months turned everyday shopping into a constant worry. "How is it possible to have money and at the same time not be able to buy even a bag of rice?" she asked in a video in which she described the difficulties of using those funds. The woman said the money remains on her card, but noted that many businesses do not accept transfers and that ATMs do not dispense enough cash. "The money is there, but it's useless," she said. According to her testimony, withdrawing money requires hours of waiting, and the amount customers receive is not enough to cover basic needs. "Going to the ATM? No, my love, don't even dream about it. After standing in line for hours and hours, all they give you is a pittance that isn't enough for anything," she said. A woman tries to pay with a bank card at a business in Cuba displaying a sign for cash-only payment. (Illustrative image Infobae) The complaint depicts a common scene for those who depend on cash to buy food and other products in Cuba, where the availability of physical money determines access to everyday consumer goods. The young woman explained that the problem is not limited to the lack of cash. It also affects her ability to plan her spending, despite having money deposited. "What hurts the most isn't the money; what hurts is thinking about all those things you need and can't buy," she said. In her account, the Cuban woman linked this inability to stock up with the emotional impact of the situation. "Your dreams go out the window when you start thinking. You don't sleep at night, my love, because the stress won't let you," she said. She recalled that at another time she could buy food and hygiene products for an entire month with her salary, and even had room to pay for an item purchased the previous month. The woman stated in a video that the funds accumulated over three months remain on her card, while numerous establishments reject transfers and ATMs dispense insufficient amounts of cash. Now she described a different reality: "Today, surviving has become an extreme sport." The phrase summed up her perception of the limitations she faces in covering essential expenses. The woman clarified that she was not seeking a political debate on social media. "I don't want controversy or labels. I want to live with dignity," she said, before inviting other users to share similar experiences. Her post opened a space for exchanging views on the difficulties of accessing one's salary, withdrawing cash, and obtaining basic products on the island. This kind of situation drives many to want to leave the island. The economic crisis, blackouts, and fuel shortages have pushed the people of Cuba to leave the country. The International Organization for Migration recently reported that more and more Cubans are choosing other Latin American countries as their destination, amid the crisis the island is going through.