José Luis Amate López, a bodega worker in central Havana, reported no customers for nearly two weeks in late April, as shelves once full now stand empty, failing to provide for the 5,000 clients dependent on the state-run store. Government ration books, established more than six decades ago by revolutionary leader Fidel Castro to ensure a healthy diet, are now shrinking, leaving a growing number of Cubans unable to afford basic necessities sold increasingly in U.S. dollars. Amate López stated, “No Cuban can truly survive on the products from the ration book anymore.”
Havana resident Ana Enamorado, 68, confirmed this reality, stating she could only purchase split chickpeas and 2 pounds of sugar at her assigned bodega in April. Her monthly salary and pension total approximately 8,000 Cuban pesos ($16), while a carton of 30 eggs costs roughly 3,000 pesos ($125), 2 pounds of meat hash are nearly 900 pesos ($37), and 1 pound of cornmeal is approximately 200 pesos ($8). Enamorado articulated the dire situation, saying, “There’s hardly anything in the ration book. We’re practically living off air.”
The ration book, known as “la libreta,” once offered heavily subsidized goods ranging from milk to fish and even cigarettes, with Cubans knowing their assigned bodega would be stocked by the first of each month. This system began to contract during the “Special Period” about three decades ago, when Soviet aid plummeted, leading to widespread deprivation and an average loss of 5% to 25% of body weight among Cubans, according to one medical journal study. Despite the hardships of that era, many who lived through it now describe the current situation as worse.
The Cost of Scarcity
Amate López recalled his assigned bodega being so full decades ago “you could barely walk,” but it is now an empty room displaying dusty old posters detailing the prices and amounts of nearly two dozen unavailable goods, including yogurt, pasta, and bars of soap. Two industrial freezers, once packed with meat and chicken, now only serve to keep Amate López’s water bottle cold. In April, his store offered only rice, sugar, and split chickpeas.
The decline in state provisions is evident in celebratory allocations: Cuban teens turning 15, a landmark birthday in Latin America, now receive only 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of ground beef, a stark contrast to the cake and several cases of beer previously provided. Similarly, the government recently opted to celebrate those turning 65 by awarding them sardines, a bar of soap, and a package of toilet paper, items Amate López reported he does not even have in stock.
Lázaro Cuesta, 56, a food preparation worker earning 6,000 Cuban pesos ($250) a month, described the deteriorating quality and shrinking quantity of basic goods. He noted that a daily allowance of bread rolls, once 80 grams for 5 Cuban cents, is now 40 grams for 75 cents, with "worse" quality. Cuesta and his wife, a retired nurse receiving a 4,800-peso monthly pension, rely on an additional $200 a month from her brother and daughter who live abroad. He stated that these remittances allow them to afford avocados, eggs, and red beans and rice, grimly concluding, “If not for the remittances,” while grabbing his neck with his right hand, “hang yourself.”
State Failure and Market Dependency
Cuba imports up to 80% of the food it consumes, including goods intended for state stores, but these are increasingly unavailable due to a lack of government resources. William LeoGrande, a professor at American University who has tracked Cuba for years, explained that the government no longer has the money for these imports, leading to an "ad hoc" supply of goods.
LeoGrande attributed persistent inflation to the government’s "bungled" merging of two Cuban currencies in 2021, now in its fifth year, and the state's practice of spending far more money than it collects. He noted that the bulk of state funds are allocated to health, education, social welfare, and food imports, making significant cuts difficult due to their "profound social impact," which is why, he added, they haven’t done it.
The government's investment in tourism is "way higher" than the plummeting demand, further straining state resources. In recent years, discussions have emerged about shifting from subsidizing goods to subsidizing people in need, a move LeoGrande suggested would free up money for importing fuel, medicine, and other items. However, many Cubans continue to depend on their ration books as the island's crises deepen amid severe power outages, petroleum shortages, and a persistent U.S. energy blockade.
Workers' Struggle for Survival
While roughly 60% of Cubans on the island receive remittances, Rosa Rodríguez, 54, of Havana, is not among them. Earning 4,000 Cuban pesos ($8) a month, a salary she considers not bad for Cuba, Rodríguez stated, “no matter how hard you work, it’s simply not enough.” In April, her only product obtained at her assigned bodega was a donation of 4 pounds of rice.
Rodríguez highlighted the impossible choices faced by workers under conditions of wage suppression and market forces, explaining, “If you buy beans, then you can’t buy sugar,” with most of her salary consumed by a large carton of eggs. She concluded with a stark assessment of her future under these conditions: “If I retire, I die.”