The situation with ATMs in Cuba is a never-ending story. There are more and more magnetic cards, while the number of teams remains the same. Long queues are now common, while cash withdrawals are almost impossible at night and on weekends.
A Report del medio Escambray inquired about this. In this regard, Ladys Mora Garcia, deputy director of the accounting section of the Pandac provincial directorate, said that the Cuban government is preparing to take measures to alleviate this problem. The goal is to limit the amount of money extracted by private business owners.
“At the country level, we have been informed that some restrictions will soon be imposed to curb excessive cash withdrawals at ATMs by these particular sections. “Thus, the availability of money may last a little longer,” he opined.
Although the official did not give further details, it seems that the withdrawal amount of some magnetic cards will be limited by owners belonging to the private sector.
ATMs in trouble
People who are unable to withdraw money from ATMs are in agony.
“Withdrawing money from ATMs is always the same: either you stand in a long queue, or they don’t have money or they are out of service, God knows why. “Earlier, when it was easy to do any operation in the afternoon or at night, at that time, they often don’t work,” a woman interviewed.
In the midst of high inflation, any money to buy food, medicine or pay for any service is scarce.
In a kind of tongue twister that seems to justify the unjustifiable, Maria Efigenia Caballero, deputy director of the Banco Popular de Ahoro (BPA) in Sancti Spiritus, assures that there is no shortage of cash. According to her, what happens is that people extract more than they want.
“The inflation levels produced by inflation today are much higher than the values provided by ATMs, and it has to be refilled several times. During working hours it is not very complicated, but on weekends when this happens, colleagues have to come from their homes.
According to the official, the company violates the set operating schedule for the ATM, which is 85% of the time. In the Central Province they managed to make it 88%, an achievement which, however, did not calm the discontent of the people.
As if that was not enough, power outages, technical problems with dispensers and shortage of spare parts are added.
There doesn’t seem to be a solution to this problem at the moment, although Caballero assures that the option is to use more virtual payment channels.
