| 1 EUR | 425.00 CUP | |
| 1 USD | 385.00 CUP | |
| 1 MLC | 235.00 CUP | |
| 1 CAD | 258.00 CUP | |
| 1 ZELLE | 382.00 CUP |
Does Cuba have a Real Government Program for the Economy?
On July 5, 2025, President Díaz-Canel announced a vague economic reform plan. Experts criticized the lack of details and transparency, citing past failed policies. Core issues like state inefficiency and low productivity remain unaddressed, raising doubts about the government’s ability to deliver real economic change.
“What Comes Out of Your Throat Is Black”: In Moa, Cuba, a Mining Town Suffocates Under Toxic Air
“What comes out of your throat is black. It’s like we’re breathing poison. These people are killing us slowly.” The message captures the anguish of residents in Moa, a mining city in Cuba’s eastern province of Holguín. In recent days, citizen reports have drawn attention to a sharp spike in environmental pollution in this industrial hub—home to Cuba’s main nickel and cobalt processing plants.
Cuban Banks Withhold Euros from Spanish Pensions, Forcing Recipients to Accept Devalued Currency
Cuban banks are withholding euros from Spanish pensions and aid programs, forcing recipients to accept Cuban pesos or MLC at unfavorable rates—causing financial hardship for thousands of elderly citizens.
Cuban Faces Five Years Jail for Filming a Cooking Gas Line
Filming horror in Cuba is forbidden. For that reason, the Prosecutor’s Office is requesting over five years in prison for Julio Cesar Duque de Estrada Ferrer, for a chain of events that began when he was filming a “crowd” at a cooking gas distribution point.
How Cubans in Mexico Became a Key Source of Remittances to the Island
As more Cubans settle in Mexico, they’re turning from transit migrants into vital remittance providers, reshaping financial flows to the island.
Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno Changed Her Flag, But Not Her Talent
Yipsi Moreno’s story is a gem. The former commissioner, former parliamentarian, former national idol — and, more recently, former exclusive citizen of the island — has returned to world competition in the hammer throw at age 44, with a new flag in hand and as if time only weighs on mortals.
eSIM in Cuba: A Growing Workaround for Internet Access?
Amid rising mobile data costs from state-run Etecsa, eSIMs—virtual SIM cards that enable internet access via smartphones—are gaining attention in Cuba. Though they still rely on Cubacel’s network, some users say the connections are more stable. But the option comes with several limitations.
Cuba With Little Food or Electricity = School Absenteeism
In Cuba, more and more children and teenagers are skipping school due to the lack of breakfast, clothing, or snacks. The economic crisis has turned the simple act of sending kids to school into a daily struggle for many families.
Cuban Doctors in Guyana Report Unpaid Wages Amid Growing International Scrutiny
Cuban doctors in Guyana report months without pay amid growing international pressure and potential policy changes following U.S. intervention.
Cuban Activist Faces 10-Year Sentence for Anti-Government Facebook Posts
Cuban prosecutors seek a decade-long prison term for Alexander Verdecia over Facebook posts criticizing the regime. His case highlights growing repression of online dissent and political expression.
The Dollarization of Cuba, a Symptom of Structural Collapse
Cuba’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquin Alonso Vasquez, confirmed that the partial dollarization of the economy will not only continue but is the official strategy for the near future. According to press reports, Alonso acknowledged the existence of three exchange rates and how this has led the dollar to become the main “mechanism of interconnection” within the Cuban economy.
Surveillance and Threats Against Students in Cuba
Following protests at several Cuban universities against the sharp rise in Internet prices, students have come forward with reports of institutional repression and intimidation aimed at preventing them from joining an academic strike.
Cuban Government, Remember: “The Students Are Sacred”
The Cuban people are on alert, because their university students have spoken. We are all with those who protest, demand and clamor for their rights. We’re with the students who have opted to act civically, at a time when this may seem too sluggish. We’re with the teachers, who won’t allow those students to be repressed.
Tension Grows in Cuban Universities: Disobedience Spreads
Student protests continue in Cuba. On June 5, the strike at the University of Havana’s Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science remained active. A statement shared by the FEU of the Faculty of Chemistry, also endorsed by the UJC, confirmed the students’ decision to stop attending classes “until they receive answers.”
From Holguín to Sukhumi: A Cuban Mother’s Odyssey for Her Family’s Survival
A Cuban mother’s journey from Holguín, Cuba to Abkhazia reveals the harrowing reality of exile, as her family faces legal limbo, medical neglect, and the daily struggle to survive far from home.
Lo más comentado
- 1Bancos en Cuba retienen euros de ayudas españolas y fuerzan cambios de moneda desfavorables
2teleSUR y Cubadebate mienten: la metodología para calcular las tasas de elTOQUE es transparente, científica y sin manipulación política3Trump promete sanciones para quien negocie con el poder militar cubano
English
El Toque is a multimedia platform focused on telling Cuba in its diversity, complex, creative and also sometimes painful or hidden. Our very existence is a commitment to the diversity of voices, styles and functions in the media ecosystem that they publish for Cubans. Here you can learn a little more about the Island.
On July 5, 2025, President Díaz-Canel announced a vague economic reform plan. Experts criticized the lack of details and transparency, citing past failed policies. Core issues like state inefficiency and low productivity remain unaddressed, raising doubts about the government’s ability to deliver real economic change.
“What comes out of your throat is black. It’s like we’re breathing poison. These people are killing us slowly.” The message captures the anguish of residents in Moa, a mining city in Cuba’s eastern province of Holguín. In recent days, citizen reports have drawn attention to a sharp spike in environmental pollution in this industrial hub—home to Cuba’s main nickel and cobalt processing plants.
Cuban banks are withholding euros from Spanish pensions and aid programs, forcing recipients to accept Cuban pesos or MLC at unfavorable rates—causing financial hardship for thousands of elderly citizens.
Filming horror in Cuba is forbidden. For that reason, the Prosecutor’s Office is requesting over five years in prison for Julio Cesar Duque de Estrada Ferrer, for a chain of events that began when he was filming a “crowd” at a cooking gas distribution point.
As more Cubans settle in Mexico, they’re turning from transit migrants into vital remittance providers, reshaping financial flows to the island.
Amid rising mobile data costs from state-run Etecsa, eSIMs—virtual SIM cards that enable internet access via smartphones—are gaining attention in Cuba. Though they still rely on Cubacel’s network, some users say the connections are more stable. But the option comes with several limitations.
Cuban doctors in Guyana report months without pay amid growing international pressure and potential policy changes following U.S. intervention.
Cuba’s Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquin Alonso Vasquez, confirmed that the partial dollarization of the economy will not only continue but is the official strategy for the near future.
According to press reports, Alonso acknowledged the existence of three exchange rates and how this has led the dollar to become the main “mechanism of interconnection” within the Cuban economy.
The Cuban people are on alert, because their university students have spoken. We are all with those who protest, demand and clamor for their rights. We’re with the students who have opted to act civically, at a time when this may seem too sluggish. We’re with the teachers, who won’t allow those students to be repressed.
A Cuban mother’s journey from Holguín, Cuba to Abkhazia reveals the harrowing reality of exile, as her family faces legal limbo, medical neglect, and the daily struggle to survive far from home.
Yipsi Moreno’s story is a gem.
The former commissioner, former parliamentarian, former national idol — and, more recently, former exclusive citizen of the island — has returned to world competition in the hammer throw at age 44, with a new flag in hand and as if time only weighs on mortals.
In Cuba, more and more children and teenagers are skipping school due to the lack of breakfast, clothing, or snacks. The economic crisis has turned the simple act of sending kids to school into a daily struggle for many families.
Cuban prosecutors seek a decade-long prison term for Alexander Verdecia over Facebook posts criticizing the regime. His case highlights growing repression of online dissent and political expression.
Following protests at several Cuban universities against the sharp rise in Internet prices, students have come forward with reports of institutional repression and intimidation aimed at preventing them from joining an academic strike.
Student protests continue in Cuba. On June 5, the strike at the University of Havana’s Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science remained active. A statement shared by the FEU of the Faculty of Chemistry, also endorsed by the UJC, confirmed the students’ decision to stop attending classes “until they receive answers.”
MERCADO INFORMAL DE
DIVISAS EN CUBA (TIEMPO REAL)
