What changes for Cubans inside and outside the island?

The general customs of the Republic of Cuba announced a significant expansion of the customs limit to send personal packages to the island, raising the threshold by 150 %.

This measure is part of a set of flexibility oriented to relieve product shortage and facilitate access to essential goods for the population.

The decision, formalized through resolution 77/2024 of the Ministry of Finance and Prices and complemented by the General Customs of the Republic, responds to one of the main demands of the Cuban diaspora and the citizens residing on the island.

For years, the limitations for sending packages, both in value and weight, have constituted an obstacle to many families that depend on the support of their relatives abroad.

What changes with the new regulations?

Until before the entry into force of this measure, the maximum value admitted for personal packages was 200 USD. Now, with the new limit, the sending of packages valued up to 500 USD is allowed, which represents an increase of 150 % compared to the previous threshold.

This measure also expands the weight allowed by package: 10 kilograms to 20 kilograms, although this may vary slightly according to the type of article and the shipping medium.

In addition, the tariff benefit of the payment of customs rights will be maintained in the first 30 USD of the value of the package (or its equivalent in weight, according to the customs calculation system).

Who benefits this measure?

This customs flexibility is, in essence, an answer to the growing social pressure by Cubans residing abroad, especially in the United States, Spain and Mexico, who are the main packaging of packages to the island.

With this new regulation, citizens are expected to send more products in a single package, reducing logistics costs and the necessary number of shipments.

The most benefited sectors are families that depend on the economic support of their relatives abroad, who usually send food, clothing, medicines, cleaning items and small appliances to cope with the current crisis.

What implications does this policy have?

Although the measure is seen as a partial relief, it has also generated criticism by independent economists and experts. Some point out that the Cuban State has chosen to depend more and more on remittances and personal shipments as a substitute for a sustainable internal productive policy.

Cuban economist Pedro Monreal warned in his social networks that this type of flexibility does not solve the structural problems of the Cuban economy, and that it could even aggravate external dependence. «As long as the internal productive apparatus is not reactivated, these measures will continue to be temporary patches,» he said.

In addition, there are those who denounce that this customs opening indirectly benefits state companies linked to retail trade, such as Correos de Cuba and Aervaradero, who charge rates raised by the internal delivery of the packages, which limits the true impact of the measure on the most vulnerable sectors.

Citizen reactions

Many Cubans abroad have received the news with enthusiasm, considering that they can send more help to their loved ones. In social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, Cuban users have shared experiences of how this measure will allow them to reduce the number of packages and save on shipping costs.

However, other citizens within the island complain about deliveries in deliveries, corruption in the management of packages and high taxes that, despite the new standards, continue to represent an important economic barrier.

The expansion of the customs limit for personal shipments to Cuba represents a partial relief for thousands of families that depend on the support of the diaspora. However, it remains a reactive measure that does not replace the urgent need for deep economic reforms and a reactivation of the internal productive system.

In a country where shelves are empty and wages are diluted with inflation, each package sent from abroad becomes a lifeguard … but not a definitive solution.