Conflict Brews In Cuba Over Ban on Imported Goods

A man waits for customers at his private shop, at the entrance of his home in Havana. The decree issued last week potentially affects some 20,000 small businesses and their employees who sell clothing, hardware and other goods brought in informally by travelers, some of whom visit the Caribbean island regularly carrying merchandise from the United States, Spain and Latin American countries.

A man stands in an upmarket private outlet in Havana. Three years ago the government of President Raul Castro, who replaced his brother Fidel in 2008, opened up retail services to "self employment" in the form of 200 licensed activities from clowns, seamstresses, food vendors, taxis and the building trades, to small businesses such as restaurants, cafeterias, bed and breakfasts and entertainment.

Women look at items for sale at an upmarket private outlet in Havana. The government said the measure aimed at absorbing excess state labor, improving services, eliminating inefficiencies and bringing black-market activity above ground. There are now 436,000 self-employed people, of which around 100,000 work as employees of small businesses, according to the government.

A woman walks beside a private shop in Havana. Enterprising residents have taken advantage of some of the categories, for example seamstress and household supplies salesman, to offer imported clothing and supplies in greater variety and at lower cost than the state.

A woman walks beside a private shop in Havana. Entrepreneurs, their employees and clients waxed furious over the clothing sale prohibition this week in the Central Havana district of the capital where a few dozen vendors had set up shop on a vacant lot to sell clothing, shoes and undergarments.

A woman waits for customers at her private stall in Havana. Castro has instituted a series of market-oriented reforms to Cuba's Soviet style economy where the state still employs 79 percent of the 5 million-strong labor force.

People walk at an area containing private shopping outlets in Havana. Last week's measure appears aimed at protecting the state's monopoly on the wholesale and retail sale of imported goods, which has resulted in widespread black-market activity due to exorbitant prices and shoddy quality.

People shop at a private outlet in Havana. The regulation includes a new list of authorized types of self employment and their descriptions, with the addition of phrases to stop the resale and importation of goods.

Vendors wait for customers at their private outlet in Havana.

People walk on a street beside a private clothing outlet in Havana.