💡 律咖编者按： > 本文由律咖网社群读者 melody 投稿分享。 > 为了方便大家阅读，律咖网编辑 JingJing（微信：lvga2015）对原文进行了细致的逻辑润色与合规性整理。希望能给正在 古巴 创业路上的你带来真实的参考。

I didn’t come to Las Tunas to fire anyone.

I came because the shipping rates from Miami to Santiago de Cuba were dropping, and I thought, “Maybe I can build a last-mile delivery team here—cheaper than Vietnam, less red tape than Indonesia.” I’m 29. I bought a used laptop with my last $800. I graduated from Southeast University in logistics documentation. I don’t have a law degree. I just know how to track packages, calculate duties, and cry quietly when my bank balance hits zero.

By November 2025, I had five local drivers. Three of them were reliable. One was great. The fifth? He showed up drunk three times in two weeks. I didn’t fire him immediately. I thought: Maybe he’s just having a rough patch. Maybe he’s got family issues. Maybe he’s waiting for a visa renewal.

I was wrong.

I didn’t realize that in Las Tunas, employment isn’t just a contract—it’s a social contract. And firing someone? That’s not just about performance. It’s about reputation. It’s about who you know. It’s about whether your name gets whispered at the bodega next to the municipal office.

The “Common Mistake” I Made (And Why It Almost Broke Me)

I thought I could handle termination like I did in China: written notice, severance pay, sign-off, done.

In Cuba? There’s no formal “employment contract” in the Western sense. Most workers are registered under the Sistema de Trabajo por Cuenta Propia (Self-Employment System), but many, especially in logistics, operate under informal arrangements—verbally agreed, cash-paid, no papers. That’s not illegal—it’s just… the way things are.

I gave my driver a written termination letter. In English. Printed it. Signed it. Delivered it in person, like I was ending a Shopify account.

He didn’t show up the next day.

Then, three days later, his cousin—a local union rep—showed up at my warehouse door. Not angry. Just calm. Said: “Tu amigo no trabajó por mucho tiempo, pero tú lo dejaste sin nada. Ahora todos saben que no pagas. ¿Quién va a trabajar contigo?”

Translation: “Your friend didn’t work long, but you left him with nothing. Now everyone knows you don’t pay. Who will work for you?”

I didn’t know he was part of a network. I didn’t know the union reps in Las Tunas meet weekly at the Casa del Trabajador. I didn’t know that word spreads faster than the power outages.

I panicked. I called my accountant. He said: “Check if he’s registered with the Oficina Nacional de Empleo.” I checked. He wasn’t. So technically, I owed him nothing.

But morally? I owed him everything.

That’s the variable no guidebook mentions: In Cuba, compliance doesn’t always mean legality—it means social legitimacy.

The Framework: How to Think About Termination in Las Tunas (Without a Lawyer)

I spent two weeks talking to locals—not to “get legal advice,” but to understand how people actually navigate this. Here’s what I learned:

1. The “Paper Trail” is Optional, But the “Word of Mouth” is Mandatory

  • Many workers are not formally registered. Their “employment” is based on trust, not paperwork.
  • If you fire someone without a graceful exit, you don’t just lose one driver—you lose access to the entire informal labor pool.
  • Actionable insight: If you need to let someone go, offer them a small cash “goodwill” payment—even $20. Don’t say “severance.” Say: “Esto es por tu esfuerzo. Te lo mereces.” (This is for your effort. You deserve it.)

2. Timing Matters More Than Procedure

  • Don’t fire someone before a holiday. Don’t fire someone before the monthly ration distribution. Don’t fire someone when the lights have been out for three days.
  • In Las Tunas, unemployment isn’t just about income—it’s about access to food, medicine, transport.
  • Actionable insight: If you must terminate, do it right after the pago de la nómina (payroll day), when people have cash in hand. It’s not about fairness—it’s about minimizing social fallout.

3. The Union Isn’t the Enemy—It’s the Bridge

  • The Central de Trabajadores de Cuba (CTC) is not like Western unions. It’s state-linked, but still a real channel for mediation.
  • I reached out to the local CTC office in Las Tunas. I didn’t ask for legal help. I asked: “¿Cómo puedo hacer esto bien?” (How can I do this right?)
  • They gave me a name: a retired labor inspector. Not a lawyer. Just someone who’d seen 30 years of this.
  • He said: “No necesitas un contrato. Necesitas un corazón.” (You don’t need a contract. You need a heart.)

That’s the insight I didn’t have: In a place where the state controls everything, the only thing left to control is your humanity.

My Reflection: I Wasn’t Trying to Be Cruel. I Was Just Trying to Be Efficient.

I spent 17 hours on Zoom last month trying to optimize delivery routes. I tracked fuel consumption. I calculated per-kilometer cost. I used AI to predict delays.

But I didn’t track emotional cost.

I thought I was being “business-savvy.” I was just being culturally blind.

I used to think: “If I can’t scale because of local norms, maybe I shouldn’t be here.”

Now I think: “If I can’t adapt to local norms, I don’t deserve to be here.”

I apologized to the driver. I gave him $30. He smiled. Said: “Gracias, jefe. Ya no te veo como un extranjero. Ahora eres uno de nosotros.”

I cried in my room that night.

FAQ: What Should You Actually Do If You Need to Terminate Someone in Las Tunas?

Q1: Do I need a written termination letter in Spanish?

Steps:

  1. Draft a simple note in Spanish (not legal jargon).
  2. Include: date, name, reason (“por motivos de reestructuración” / restructuring), and a small goodwill gesture.
  3. Hand it to them in person, with a cup of coffee.
  4. Do not send it via email or WhatsApp.

Path: Local CTC office → Ask for a template → Use it as a guide, not a rule.

Key Points:

  • Avoid words like “despido” (fired). Use “reestructuración” or “cambio de operaciones.”
  • Never mention performance unless they’ve already admitted it.
  • Always offer something—even if it’s just a phone card or two bags of rice.

Q2: What if the worker is registered with the Oficina Nacional de Empleo?

Steps:

  1. Check their registration status at the local Oficina de Empleo (ask for the ficha de registro).
  2. If registered, you may be required to notify them. But enforcement is inconsistent.
  3. Even if not legally required, notify them anyway—this prevents rumors.

Path: Go in person. Bring your ID, your business registration, and a bottle of water. Say: “Quiero hacerlo bien.”

Key Points:

  • Officials won’t give you legal advice. But they’ll tell you who’s been complaining.
  • If 3+ people have filed complaints about you? That’s your warning.

Q3: Can I use an English contract?

Steps:

  1. Do not use English contracts for local hires.
  2. If you must use one (for your own records), translate it into Spanish and have it signed by a witness.
  3. Get the witness to be someone from the community—not a foreigner.

Path: Visit the Colegio de Abogados in Las Tunas. Ask: “¿Tienen un modelo de carta de despido sencillo?” (Do you have a simple termination letter template?)

Key Points:

  • No notary is needed for informal hires.
  • A handwritten note signed by two neighbors is more binding than a 10-page English contract.
  • Translation tip: “Severance pay” = “compensación por buena voluntad” (goodwill compensation).

Final Thoughts: Three Actions I’m Taking Now

  1. I now have a “Goodwill Protocol” — Before any termination, I set aside $25–$50 as a “thank you” fund. It’s not legal. But it’s human.
  2. I meet with the local CTC rep monthly — Not to ask for help. Just to say hi. Bring a bag of coffee. Ask how things are going. Build trust before you need it.
  3. I stopped calling my team “employees.” Now I call them “partners.” Because in Las Tunas, if you’re not family, you’re not part of the system.

延伸阅读

🔸 First international aid convoy carrying five tons of medical supplies arrives in Cuba amid tension with the US 🗞️ 来源: el pais – 📅 2026-03-19
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 Rússia desafia bloqueio norte-americano com envio de petróleo para Cuba 🗞️ 来源: publico – 📅 2026-03-19
🔗 阅读原文

🔸 El Convoy Nuestra América ultima preparativos para salir de México rumbo a Cuba 🗞️ 来源: infobae – 📅 2026-03-19
🔗 阅读原文

请知悉：律咖网（Lvga.com）是跨境创业公开信息与内容分享平台，不提供法律、税务、会计或合规服务。 > 本文内容基于公开资料，并由人工编辑与 AI 工具协助整理，仅供信息参考之用，不构成任何法律、投资、移民或商业决策建议。 > 政策可能随时间变化，请以官方渠道与当地持牌专业人士意见为准。 > 如内容有需要修订之处，欢迎随时与我联系。

If you’re in Las Tunas, or thinking about it, and you’ve ever had to let someone go—I get it.
You don’t need a lawyer.
You need a friend who’s been there.

If you want to talk—about visas, about drivers, about how to pay someone in cash without getting caught—I’m here.

And if you want to talk to someone who’s actually helped other founders in Cuba?
JingJing from 律咖网 has been quietly answering questions for five years.

She doesn’t promise anything.
She just listens.

You can find her on WeChat: lvga2015.

No sales pitch.
Just a quiet space to ask the questions no one else will answer.