The practice of giving candy as change in stores operating with foreign currency has sparked deep frustration among Cubans living abroad, who send remittances to support their families on the island. Many view this as an insult and a blatant show of disrespect, interpreting it as yet another sign of the Cuban economy's decline and lack of planning.
Exiled Cubans Express Outrage: Sacrifices of Remittances Versus Candy Change
Social media reactions reveal the discontent among emigrants, who feel their efforts to help their families are met with what they perceive as contempt. A selection of comments from Facebook, shared by CiberCuba, captures this community's sentiment:
"It's unfair that the money we send with so much sacrifice is given back as candy. Our families need food, not sweets."
"While we work long hours in the cold or tough conditions, they hand out candy as if they have no idea what it means to earn each dollar."
"What kind of respect does a system have that answers with candy to the money we send for our families to eat?"
"It's humiliating that after all the effort to send remittances, our money is turned into a joke. We demand respect!"
"My parents are elderly and depend on what I send. How are they supposed to live when the few cents left from their purchases are returned as candy?"
"It's shameful that the government mocks the remittances we tirelessly send from exile. This only shows their disregard for the people."
"Sometimes I wonder if it's worth continuing to send money. The effort is too great to be treated with such indifference."
"Our children grow up far from their grandparents because we had to emigrate, and yet we do everything possible to help. This is what we get in return."
"It's infuriating to think we work hard to support our families and they have to accept candy because their change isn't given back properly."
"The government has once again shown that it doesn't even respect the money coming from abroad. Candy as change is a sign of their disregard for all of us."
The Struggle of Supporting Families from Afar
These comments not only reflect frustration over receiving candy as change but also the exhaustion of a community that has made significant sacrifices to support loved ones in a country where basic needs are increasingly hard to meet.
Many see this practice as further evidence of the government's indifference to the population's hardships, also apparent in measures to partially "dollarize" the country's economy.
Humor and Despair in the Face of Improvisation
Amidst the outrage, some turn to humor to cope with their frustration. Jokes about candy as "edible currency" are common: “Soon we’ll be able to pay with candy, but watch out for your blood sugar,” one user quipped sarcastically.
Others wonder if accumulating enough candy might allow them to pay with it in those same stores.
A Deep Critique of the System
For many, the use of candy as change symbolizes the deterioration of the Cuban economic system, which not only fails to ensure supply but also resorts to makeshift solutions that further burden citizens.
For Cubans abroad, this situation is particularly painful as it highlights the disconnect between the sacrifices made to send remittances and the treatment their families receive on the island. To them, candy as change is not merely a crisis symbol but a stark demonstration of the lack of respect for the effort involved in financially supporting a devastated nation from afar.
Understanding the Impact of Candy as Change in Cuba
Why are Cubans receiving candy as change in stores?
Cubans are receiving candy as change due to the lack of coins or small denominations in stores operating with foreign currency, leading to this improvisational practice.
How does this practice affect Cuban families supported by remittances?
This practice frustrates families who depend on remittances, as it symbolizes disrespect for the financial sacrifices made by relatives abroad, and it does not meet their essential needs.
What do Cubans living in exile think about the candy change?
Cubans in exile feel this practice is degrading and reflects the government's indifference to their efforts to support their families, seeing it as a mockery of their financial contributions.