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Hard number: Cuba gets bigger bills for bigger problems

The number of new banknotes Cuba issued this month to deal with rampant inflation. The 2,000 and 5,000 Cuban peso notes are roughly worth $4 and $10, respectively.

The number of new banknotes Cuba issued this month to deal with rampant inflation. The 2,000 and 5,000 Cuban peso notes are roughly worth $4 and $10, respectively.

Natalie Johnson

Cubans are no strangers to carrying large bundles of cash just to get through daily shopping, a habit born from years of relentless inflation. Things have only gotten worse lately, since a de facto US oil blockade sent prices even higher. To ease the burden of transactions, Havana is introducing two new banknotes, the largest of which is worth five times as much as anything previously in circulation.

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