In communist Cuba, prostitution has become a method of survival

Here we have another glorious triumph of the socialist revolution in Cuba: Cubans forced to sell their bodies to foreign tourists in order to earn enough cash to eat.

A report by Mauro Echeverria in the Impunity Observer:

Prostitution in Cuba: A Way of Survival

Amid Poverty, Jineteros Find Way to Support Families

When late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro took power in 1959, he sought to eradicate homosexuality and prostitution. For Castro, people performing those practices “cannot personify the ideals of a communist militant.” In October 1962, the regime conducted numerous warrantless raids to capture them. Cubans call this episode “The Night of the Three Ps,” because officials harassed pimps, prostitutes, and homosexuals (pájaros).

Over 1,000 arrested pimps, prostitutes, and homosexuals, officially described as being “anti-values,” were taken to concentration camps. There the dictatorship sought to reeducate inmates politically, treat homosexuality as a disease, and force prisoners to work.

For six decades, Fidelista officials have asserted that the regime managed to get rid of prostitution on the island’s streets. However, multiple media reports addressing the always-existing presence of prostitution contradict the regime’s narrative.

According to Radio Television Martí, prostitution became more common in the 1990s. Back then, Cuba was going through an economic downturn due to cuts in aid from Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. In addition, the country decided to open its doors to international tourism. This enabled sex tourism.

The Cuban Penal Code prohibits prostitution of both minors and adults along with soliciting, exerting control, and earning off prostitutes. However, these are frequent practices on many Havana streets, especially in most touristic neighborhoods such as Old Havana, Havana Center, and Miramar.

This investigation explains why Cubans resort to prostitution and the situation for prostitutes trying to make a living. The Impunity Observer spoke with four Cubans on the island, three of them working in prostitution. One works in tourism where she can witness interaction with locals. Due to fears of identification and reprisal, they all requested anonymity.

Why Cubans Resort to Prostitution

As the Impunity Observer reported in October 2022, “Cubans are struggling with new levels of poverty, famine, blackouts, and deficient medical care.” Those who do not receive remittances from family or friends are the ones who are suffering the most. An October 2022 report from the Cuban Observatory for Social Rights (COSR) asserts that 72 percent of citizens live below the poverty line of $2.15 per day.

Due to scant economic and job opportunities on the island, men and women see prostitution as a viable way to obtain money for food and other family needs.

Continue reading HERE.