Havana/On Friday, an operation was carried out in the vicinity of the 17th and K market, in the municipality of Plaza de la Revolución, a point known for the presence of informal vendors in Havana. According to the information disclosed through official meansthe Police and the Comprehensive Directorate of Supervision and Control, seized four forklifts from unlicensed vendors and imposed ten fines for a total of 173,000 pesos.
During the control, large quantities of agricultural products were confiscated, including cabbage, tomato, taro, pepper, onion, banana, guava, avocado, among others.
The authorities described the action as a “popular control against illegalities,” the usual euphemism to describe operations aimed at stopping resale and non-compliance with marketing standards. This type of intervention is developed in a context marked by persistent food shortages, the loss of purchasing power and the inability of the state system to guarantee a stable supply.
This type of intervention is developed in a context marked by scarcity
The intervention is part of a sequence of control measures reinforced since the end of September, when the Havana government attempted impose price caps to various agricultural products. That regulation, presented as a response to rising food prices, quickly showed its limits. Tours through capital markets showed that prices were still well above what was established, while sellers pointed out the high costs of production, transportation and acquisition of inputs, in addition to the impact of the dollar on the informal market.
Since then, inspection has become the main mechanism to try to enforce the regulations. Fines and confiscations have increased, without this having led to a sustained reduction in prices or a real improvement in supply. For producers and merchants, selling at the fixed rates is unviable as long as fuel, fertilizers, labor and logistics continue to become more expensive and access to foreign currency remains limited.
This intervention in Plaza de la Revolución also refers to what happened last December 4 in the 100 and Boyeros market, one of the main centers of informal exchange in the capital. After an extensive police operation, the place was under constant surveillance for days that visibly reduced commercial activity. Empty stalls, seized merchandise and vendors subjected to controls marked the atmosphere of a key space for the daily supply of thousands of Havana residents.
These markets function as an escape valve
That episode highlighted the dual role of these markets. They are subject to state control for operating outside the law, but at the same time they function as an escape valve against the shortcomings of the official circuit. When operations intensify, supply contracts, while demand remains the same, pushing consumers to pay higher prices or look for alternative places to get food, hygiene products, or even medicines.
In the operation carried out this Friday, the seizure of forklifts and the imposition of economic sanctions directly impact small resellers who operate in subsistence conditions.
