HAVANA, April 7 (Lucas Garve, CPI) - Older people who have to live on small pensions and even others still of working age find themselves obligated to resell in order to survive.

Antonio, 70, resells ball-point pens near the old bus depot in Mantilla. Josefa, seated next to him, resells a coffee package equivalent to the quota for two persons, for 10 pesos. She paid 15 cents for it under her ration allotment, but neither she nor her husband drink coffee.

A price reduction on sports pants in a store on Monte Street causes a melee. Lydia, 22, came to Havana from the eastern provinces one and a half years ago. She bought twelve sets of bed linens at US $2.60. She will resell them at US $6. The least expensive available in the dollar stores are US $7.10.

Many people buy merchandise at sales or in various other ways to later resell it on the street in pesos or dollars; it doesn't matter which. It's a matter of survival.

Versión original en español

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