Ana and Jairo have several jobs that allow them to get by. They have no plans to leave the country
14ymedio, Pedro Espinosa, Havana, 28 April 2024 — From pink to lilac nail polish, from glitter to acetone and solvents, the supplies that Ana uses in her manicure business are well-organized along one wall. A lamp, a fan and a modest work table make up the rest of her equipment. Her husband Jairo is an employee at a government warehouse and cuts hair on the side. Both also manage and deliver food orders that have been purchased online by customers living abroad.Ana makes between 10,000 and 12,000 pesos a month. Jairo, about 2,500 from his job at a warehouse and whatever he can earn as a delivery driver. They have no children. They have no plans — at least no obvious ones — to leave Cuba. “And even then it’s not enough for us,” they say.
The current migratory stampede has made leaving Cuba a priority for young people. Any way out, from the U.S. “Humanitarian Parole” program or to closer destinations such as the Dominican Republic, will do. However, those who do not have the resources or cannot afford such a trip must stay behind, often to take care of family members. Many young couples aim a little higher. For them, just surviving is not enough. They want to live.
It is a solid structure, what is referred to as “a capitalist house” because it was built before 1959
The house where Ana and Jairo live is in Havana’s Guanabacoa district. It used to belong to Jairo’s grandmother, who moved in with other family members so that the young couple could have some privacy. “Thanks to her, we have a place to live,” says Jairo. It is a solid structure, what is referred to as “a capitalist house” because it was built before 1959.
From here, telephone in hand, Ana processes orders from an online sales platform three days a week for 6,000 pesos. “I distribute what they send me. I get orders for combos and individual items. I have to arrange to have them delivered which, given the fuel situation, is very difficult.”
Ana is also studying for a bachelor’s degree in Hygiene and Epidemiology at the Universit