My rabbit for your detergent? Cubans turn to barter as shortages worsen

Rabbit raiser Lenin Damian shows a rabbit during an interview at the rooftop of his home amid concerns about the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Havana, Cuba, May 27, 2020. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

HAVANA (Reuters) - Nelson Aguilar used to sell the rabbits that he raises on his Havana rooftop to restaurants. Now, with an ongoing pandemic, the 70-year-old uses them as currency, exchanging them for food or detergent to avoid multi-hour queues at poorly stocked shops.

He's not alone. More Cubans are turning to bartering to meet their shopping needs, be it in person or on social media groups, as the novel coronavirus crisis worsens existing shortages of basic goods in the Communist-run island.