| 1 EUR | 380.00 CUP | |
| 1 USD | 370.00 CUP | |
| 1 MLC | 260.00 CUP | |
| 1 CAD | 230.00 CUP | |
| 1 ZELLE | 380.00 CUP |
Cuban Mother Defies Military Draft to Defend Son’s Right to Object
After her teenage son refused compulsory military service, Ismari Saavedra faced years of government harassment, school expulsion, and threats—exposing Cuba’s crackdown on conscientious objection.
Amnesty International Warns of Human Rights Crisis in Cuba
Amnesty International’s latest report paints a bleak picture of Cuba in 2024: growing repression, deepening poverty, and a mass exodus that has shrunk the population by 18 %. Amid blackouts, censorship, and arbitrary arrests, the Cuban regime continues to deny the crisis.
Airbnb Pauses Services in Cuba, Impacting Hosts and Tourism
Airbnb has paused payments and experiences in Cuba, leaving many hosts without income. The move highlights growing challenges for the island’s private tourism sector.
Why Cooking Oil Costs Over 1,000 Pesos in Cuba
Would you like a few more ultra-compact options in case you need them for different platforms like social media or newsletters?
Abkhazia: A Refuge for Cubans or a Migratory Trap?
As Russia tightens immigration laws, Cubans turn to Abkhazia for refuge—only to face legal uncertainty, economic hardship, and diplomatic isolation.
Cuban Doctors Demand Release of Aid Containers Seized in Santiago de Cuba Port
After completing medical missions in Angola, Cuban health workers struggle to reclaim containers of food and medicine seized in Santiago de Cuba amid shipping disputes. Their calls for help remain unanswered.
Bitterness Along the Miel River: The Story of a Collapse
At first glance, it looks like nothing more than splintered wood—a broken bridge, a skeleton of what once was. But for the residents of Boca de Miel, that fragile footbridge over the river is far more than debris. It's a raw wound left open six months after Hurricane Oscar hit, a symbol of a community still waiting for help that never came. It’s proof that Cuba’s reconstruction efforts aren’t reaching everyone equally.
What Happened to Cuba’s Promised Internet-Boosting Cable?
Two years after the Arimao cable’s debut, Cubans are still waiting for meaningful improvements in their digital lives. While the infrastructure may be in place, real change won’t come without serious investment and transparency.
Pope Francis Dies: The Pontiff Who Chose the Path of Dialogue
The Argentine pontiff died in Rome at 88. During his papacy, he played an active role in the thaw between Cuba and the United States and supported mediation efforts with the Cuban government aimed at securing the release of political prisoners.
Cuba Has Become a Country of Empty Houses
The house is still there, but no one has lived in it for a long time.
From Cuban Engineer to Bus Driver in Spain
Mayulis, a Cuban electrical engineer, reinvented herself as a school bus driver in Murcia, Spain, after migration barriers prevented her from validating her degree. With determination and support from a local training program by Cáritas and FROET, she earned her commercial driving license and now works transporting children. Her story reflects the broader experience of over 62,000 Cubans who arrived in Spain between 2023 and 2024—many of whom must rebuild their lives from scratch.
Cuban Student with I-220A Pursues College Degree at Florida International University (FIU)
After arriving in the U.S. with an I-220A, which offers no legal status or federal aid, 26-year-old Sandro González is pursuing an engineering degree at Florida International University. Balancing two jobs and his own insurance business, he’s funding his education on his own. A recipient of a CAALE scholarship, Sandro’s journey reflects the resilience of immigrant youth chasing opportunity against the odds.
Growing Dollarization in Cuba Raises Concerns About the MLC's Future
Since late 2024, Cubans have grown worried as MLC loses value and dollar-only stores expand. Despite official claims, both the MLC and peso are devaluing, making dollarized goods harder to afford.
What Cubans Need to Know About Russia’s “Regularization” Decree
Thousands of Cubans in Russia face an uncertain future. Learn what the 2025 regularization process really means and what happens after the April deadline.
Cuba Expands USD Stores While Wages Are Paid in Pesos
Despite official claims, more state-run shops are switching to USD only. Same products, new price tags in dollars, while wages stay in pesos.
MERCADO INFORMAL DE
DIVISAS EN CUBA (TIEMPO REAL)
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.
After her teenage son refused compulsory military service, Ismari Saavedra faced years of government harassment, school expulsion, and threats—exposing Cuba’s crackdown on conscientious objection.
Amnesty International’s latest report paints a bleak picture of Cuba in 2024: growing repression, deepening poverty, and a mass exodus that has shrunk the population by 18 %. Amid blackouts, censorship, and arbitrary arrests, the Cuban regime continues to deny the crisis.
Airbnb has paused payments and experiences in Cuba, leaving many hosts without income. The move highlights growing challenges for the island’s private tourism sector.
Would you like a few more ultra-compact options in case you need them for different platforms like social media or newsletters?
As Russia tightens immigration laws, Cubans turn to Abkhazia for refuge—only to face legal uncertainty, economic hardship, and diplomatic isolation.
At first glance, it looks like nothing more than splintered wood—a broken bridge, a skeleton of what once was. But for the residents of Boca de Miel, that fragile footbridge over the river is far more than debris. It's a raw wound left open six months after Hurricane Oscar hit, a symbol of a community still waiting for help that never came. It’s proof that Cuba’s reconstruction efforts aren’t reaching everyone equally.
The Argentine pontiff died in Rome at 88. During his papacy, he played an active role in the thaw between Cuba and the United States and supported mediation efforts with the Cuban government aimed at securing the release of political prisoners.
Mayulis, a Cuban electrical engineer, reinvented herself as a school bus driver in Murcia, Spain, after migration barriers prevented her from validating her degree. With determination and support from a local training program by Cáritas and FROET, she earned her commercial driving license and now works transporting children. Her story reflects the broader experience of over 62,000 Cubans who arrived in Spain between 2023 and 2024—many of whom must rebuild their lives from scratch.
Since late 2024, Cubans have grown worried as MLC loses value and dollar-only stores expand. Despite official claims, both the MLC and peso are devaluing, making dollarized goods harder to afford.
Despite official claims, more state-run shops are switching to USD only. Same products, new price tags in dollars, while wages stay in pesos.
After completing medical missions in Angola, Cuban health workers struggle to reclaim containers of food and medicine seized in Santiago de Cuba amid shipping disputes. Their calls for help remain unanswered.
Two years after the Arimao cable’s debut, Cubans are still waiting for meaningful improvements in their digital lives. While the infrastructure may be in place, real change won’t come without serious investment and transparency.
The house is still there, but no one has lived in it for a long time.
After arriving in the U.S. with an I-220A, which offers no legal status or federal aid, 26-year-old Sandro González is pursuing an engineering degree at Florida International University. Balancing two jobs and his own insurance business, he’s funding his education on his own. A recipient of a CAALE scholarship, Sandro’s journey reflects the resilience of immigrant youth chasing opportunity against the odds.
Thousands of Cubans in Russia face an uncertain future. Learn what the 2025 regularization process really means and what happens after the April deadline.
MERCADO INFORMAL DE
DIVISAS EN CUBA (TIEMPO REAL)