The Advent of Computer Usage in 2008
In the 1990s, Cuba implemented strict restrictions on purchasing various electrical devices. This decision followed the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had been providing substantial subsidies and fuel supplies to Cuba.
Computers in Cuba could only be acquired by foreigners and businesses, while cassette decks remained confiscated at the border until 2008, when border control regulations were eased. Cubans can now purchase these items more readily, albeit with payment in foreign currency known as CUCs or redeemable pesos, which are 24 times higher than the Cuban pesos used for state salaries.
