Beyond the threat to citizen security, an impassable economic barrier rose between the Holguineros and the Carnival.
Holguin, Cuba. – “Everything is expensive and people are also very problematic in the street. That’s why I did not go out to the carnival; I prefer to be calm and safe at home with my family.” The opinion of María Elena Cruz, neighbor of the Pueblo Nuevo cast, is not isolated. The high cost of living and insecurity were as one of the limitations among the Holguineros to attend popular festivals held from 15 to 17 this month.
“I did not go to that ‘Chinchero’. The situation is critical in this country and was to expose my family to the danger of bronchs and assaults,” said the Holiker Maikel González.
The official press itself has echoed the insecurity that is lived in the streets of the island. In 2023, the local newspaper Now admitted “The occurrence of several acts of robbery with violence or intimidation in people with the use of white weapons” as a “recurrent concern.”
Perhaps that is why, who decided to participate in popular festivals this year, did it with extreme prudence, such as Lorenzo Patterson. “I felt sure, the Carnival areas were full of police. Anyway, to avoid problems of a anger or an assault, when I left I did not stay until night. At 6:00 in the afternoon I was already returning home,” he told Cubanet.
Another holguinero, José Carlos Ramírez, explained that, during the festivities, “there were several Broncas in the Stadium Parking area [Calixto García Íñiguez]”
Beyond the threat to citizen security, an equally impassable economic barrier rose between the Holguineros and the Carnival. For Ricardo Batista, from the Alcides Pino cast, the popular party was a financial challenge: “Everything was very expensive. Between my wife and I we spent more than 2,000 pesos in almost three hours, only in beer and food.”
Indeed, only a motorcycle of 300 pesos is equivalent to more than 6% of the average monthly salary in Cuba, established in 6,506 pesos in 2025, According to the National Statistics and Information Office (Onei).
To the shortage is added the poor quality of the offers. Yoelkis Pérez, also from the distribution Alcides Pino, comments: “I took two drinks of beer, and I had to throw it out because I was watery.” Omar Cisneros, from Pueblo Nuevo, asks: “What would I do in that why?
For Orlando Vega, from the distribution of customs, the annual festival had to be suspended: “It was a mistake to make the carnival, because nothing else must be seen how the situation in this country is bad to make a popular party. There is a lot of scarcity and many needs.”
Others, such as José Luis Marrero, appreciated a political and economic purpose behind the celebration. “In Holguin A long time ago the good carnivals with floats and a good and cheap food offer were over. Now they did it and then the government said ‘we made carnival and the people are happy’ and, incidentally, to collect the money that is on the street ”.
In spite of everything, the Carnival areas were crowded. The explanation of this paradox is offered by Francisco Rojas, of the cast Lenin. “This is the only recreational option in the municipality. There was music with orchestra and music recorded in places of free access, and the people want to disconnect the stress of the whole year.”
This “stress of the whole year” is expressed in a survival crisis with food shortages, basic products and more than eight hours of daily blackouts.
Among the relative abundance of food, drink and music, I had needed asking for alms. “It’s sad to see how there are people who can’t celebrate and have to ask for alms to survive,” said Magalis Torres.
In the end, the generalized carnival evaluation among the Holguineros seems to be unanimous and indisputable, as a synthesizes Armando Cedeño: “The carnivals were a scam.”
