Cubans are in shock over electricity prices set by the government, in some cases even surpassing the minimum wage of 2,100 pesos established under the Tarea Ordenamiento.
"Has anyone else suffered a heart attack over the electricity bill?" asked Odicelis Llorente, a Cuban woman living in Morón, Ciego de Ávila. Her house bill in January was for 2,592.75 pesos.
"And I was being careful," she added on Facebook. Llorente said that she has an air conditioning unit, but she only used it for three hours in the month.
"At our house we also had a heart attack, we got one for 800 and something," said Dabney Díaz. Another Cuban woman shared an electricity bill for 4,184 pesos.
"My father's house has one refrigerator, and just two lights at night, and it came to 221.90 pesos," said Pepino Casay.
Meanwhile, a Cuban woman residing in Texas (United States) shared several electricity bills for 1,475, 1,209, 1,687.40 and 7,747 pesos. "How are we supposed to deal with this?" asked Maite Noa Rodríguez on Facebook.
Ever since the Cuban government announced the new electricity prices, and despite a subsequent adjustment, Cubans have feared their entire salaries going just to pay for electricity.
"Did the electricity eat your entire salary? Will you be able to eat? It's a disgrace and an outrage," said Yedenia Moreno.
The electricity bills shown are simply unaffordable for retirees who receive minimum pensions of just 1,528 pesos.
Electricity prices were increased in Cuba to "encourage savings," said the Minister of Energy and Mines (MINEM), Liván Arronte Cruz, on the Mesa Redonda program on state television.
According to Cuban television, in the residential sector there was a trend towards saving during the first month of 2021.