Havana (AFP)

"Before, I earned 300 pesos" (12.5 dollars), testifies Maria Dolores, 74, delighted to see her retirement pension go to 63 dollars ... but she is worried because in 2021, all prices will soar in Cuba, especially that of electricity.

A few weeks before the entry into force, on January 1, of a major reform for the island, which will unify the two local currencies cohabiting for 26 years and will redraw the contours of its economy, the government wanted to reassure by already increasing wages and pensions.

Leaning against a walker and suffering from sight problems, Maria Dolores Cardenas walks gently down a cobbled street in Havana's historic district.

This retiree, who shares her home with her two children, is delighted to receive more, but she knows that she will have to be careful "so that it is enough to cover our expenses, because it is true that the prices are high".

Like her, many elderly people came this week to a bank in the center of the capital to collect their highly revalued pensions: while they had started at 242 pesos (10 dollars) until then, they will now have a minimum amount of 1,528. pesos ($ 63).

The minimum wage is multiplied by five to 2,100 pesos (87 dollars).

Generally the most vulnerable population, Cuba's 1.7 million retirees have already experienced a difficult year 2020, while the country's economy, deprived of foreign currency from tourism, experienced its worst fall in 27 years, of 11%, forcing it to drastically reduce its imports.

- "Collateral damage" -

Unifying the two currencies, "it was a necessary measure, but it implies a rise in prices", explains to AFP the economist Omar Everleny Pérez, who admits that the reform involves "a significant collateral damage for the Cuban families" .

A great symbol of Cuban egalitarianism, the daily bread of 80 grams that each Cuban receives via the supply book (libreta), will see its price, unchanged for 40 years, multiplied by 20, even if it will remain low (one peso , or 4 cents of a dollar).

But what worries the most is electricity, historically provided at low prices on the island.

Since the announcement of the reform, individuals and traders have taken out the calculators to find out how much their next bill will be.

Until now, a Cuban has paid 9 pesos (0.37 cents of dollars) for 100 kilowatts per hour.

In January he would have to pay 40 pesos (1.6 dollars).

The private sector will necessarily have to pass this on to its prices, even if the government imposes an increase limit of 300%.

Already, for many Cubans, "going to a paladar (private restaurant, editor's note) is inaccessible. And now the owners will increase their prices because they will have to pay more for their raw materials and their electricity", enough to cool them down. tourists, underlines Mr. Pérez.

Manager of a restaurant in Old Havana, Eddy Basulto does not know if he will be able to continue like this for long.

"It's very difficult to keep going," he sighs.

Currently he spends between $ 250 and $ 290 per month on electricity.

In a month, it will cost about $ 1,200.

"I'm really right on the numbers, I'm not far from being in the red," laments Eddy, sitting at an empty table in his establishment, where there is only one tourist.

The country received in 2020 only 1.1 million visitors, against 4.3 million in 2019.

Social discontent, expressed on social media and in internet comments on state press articles, could perhaps prompt the authorities to take action.

Thursday, facing Parliament, President Miguel Diaz-Canel also assured that "what must be revised or corrected will be".

But for some lucky ones, the reform falls rather well: Manuel Rodriguez, 78-year-old retired watchmaker, will celebrate his golden wedding anniversary in 2021 with Rafaela Sandoval, 69, in their retirement home where they do not have to pay electricity ... but will benefit from pensions multiplied by four or five.

© 2020 AFP