Nearly two months' salary for 3 gigabytes: in Cuba, the increase in internet prices is not going down well

“A real digital hold-up.” These are the words of opposition leader Jorge de Mello, reported by The digital media outlet CiberCuba, regarding the Cuban government's recent measure to increase internet connection rates on the island. Since the announcement on May 30, the island has been experiencing a wave of protests, with the country's universities at the epicenter of the mobilization.

According to El País América , "at least ten faculties" spread across five universities have called for a general strike to demand the withdrawal of this decision.

In the crosshairs is the Cuban Telecommunications Corporation (Etecsa), owned by the state and the only authorized operator in the country, accused of imposing rates that are beyond the reach of a large part of the population. These new rates, Infobae points out , represent a significant increase, especially for students, “already facing significant economic difficulties.”

For the most “economical” option, 3,360 Cuban pesos (around 8 euros on the informal market) would be required for 3 gigabytes of data. As El País points out, the minimum monthly wage in the country is 2,100 pesos, or around 6 euros. In other words, users would have to “spend [nearly] two months' salary for a few hours of internet connection.”

For its part, the Cuban government attempted on Tuesday, June 3, to justify the increase by calling it "painful but temporary." Cited by CiberCuba , Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez Díaz cited the country's "complex economic situation" and called on citizens to show "understanding."

To mitigate the situation, the government proposed a more accessible "second option" for students while guaranteeing "free access to research portals," reports Telesur . To no avail. The Latin American news channel points out that social media has become "a true thermometer of the crisis," describing anonymous accounts and hidden profiles encouraging protests at universities.

On the critics' side, the media Café Fuerte denounces the government's "lucrative and oppressive" nature, pointing to prices that are much higher than those charged in the region. "Is [Etecsa] a socialist company or a capitalist monopoly serving an exploitative state? Without a doubt, the latter," the media outlet asserts.

“This decision amounts to telling the people that their work is worthless and that opening up to the world via the Internet is a privilege reserved for those with outside support.”

In the columns of El País, Cuban journalist Carla Gloria Colomé analyzes this measure as a reflection of the government's fears about the Internet. According to her, the government knew that the country "was going to change the moment Cubans could connect to the world."

Etecsa's monopoly in the country is undoubtedly no coincidence. As reported by CiberCuba , a decree from the Council of Ministers extended the state company's monopoly on public telecommunications for eleven years, guaranteeing the state greater control over the service.