People stand in line outside a bank hoping to withdraw Cuban pesos from an ATM, in Havana, Cuba, Monday, April 22, 2024. An increasing number of Cubans are having to grapple with the country’s shortage of cash. An ice cream street vendor shows his Cuban pesos in Havana, Cuba, Monday, April 20, 2024. An increasing number of Cubans are having to grapple with the country’s shortage of cash.
Long queues outside banks and ATM’s in the capital, Havana, and beyond start forming early in the day as people seek cash for routine transactions like buying food and other essentials. Converting those Cuban pesos to other currencies poses yet another challenge, as there are several, highly fluctuating exchange rates in the island.