How to recognise jineteros and jineteras in Cuba — crazyabouthavana.com

There is a lot of confusion about the nature of this mysterious figure known as jinetera. And even more misunderstood is the jinetera’s counterpart, the ubiquitous yet elusive jinetero.

But what do these words actually mean?

Jineteros and jineteras

Nothing, outside of Cuba. The word jinetero is a corruption of jinete, which in Spanish means jockey. However, when the jinete jinetea he rides horses, but when the jinetero jinetea he hustles. In fact, in Cuba jinetear, the verb, means specifically “to conduct illicit business with foreigners, including prostitution.”

Jineteras

The latter is the domain of the female jockey, whose delicate interpretation of the world’s oldest profession is behind her piqued annoyance at being branded a whore. And she has a point: while a small number of jineteras charge by the hour, the vast majority engage in an ambiguous exchange of gifts and favours that is not limited by time. Mostly, jineteras are serial monogamists (if we discount their permanent Cuban husbands) enjoying the company of foreign men who may or may not be aware of what they let themselves into. And may or may not go back for a second helping.

The jinetera’s relationship(s) with her foreign beau(s) usually starts in a bar, club, or that poor man’s meatmarket that is the malecón. Sometimes the lovebirds are introduced by a jinetero, sometimes the lady makes the move herself. The target is usually an older man, or an age appropriate but comically naive guy. In fact, while the archetypical jinetera/foreigner pairing can be defined as intercultural sugar daddyism, ever since food has reappeared on shop shelves the girls have become more discerning.

This is not to say that you won’t ever go: ahah! who are you kidding there, b ut softening desperation dictates that these relationships be less unequal — and thus the men properly rich. Or young and presentable enough to blur the line, at least on paper, between legitimate coupling and obvious sex tourism. Basically, with the partial normalisation of the Cuban economy the prey has turned into predator, and what was a desperate woman trying to survive is now a well-fed and well-clad young lady who just really likes money. For her, love is intertwined with personal aspirations, resulting in no more and no less than good old-fashioned gold digging.

Jineteras in their classic incarnation still exist, and while some are unscrupulous and greedy, most are simply trying to escape poverty. These women, usually very young, may come from broken families or be recent arrivals from the countryside. As such, they are vulnerable to abuse from predatory foreign men looking for a cheap power trip. Because if Cuba is not a prime destination for the cosmopolitan arsehole, there is a fair share of seedy individuals trawling its shores.

In summary, jineteras can be placed on a continuum, from the classic hooker to the fun girl enjoying the perks of dating a well-off man. And everything in between.

Jineteros

Jineteros are a heterogeneous group of multi-taskers, with only a few, which I will discuss separately, intent on gigoloeing their way to the bank.

1. Classic jineteros

The classic jinetero is a friendly dude who chats up tourists and offers to take care of their needs, be these the purchase of cheap cigars or sexual favours. In the latter case, your jinetero is the middleman arranging hookups with, you’ve guessed right, willing jineteras. In other words, in between selling fake Cohibas and funnelling gullible foreigners into tourist traps he doubles as a pimp.

Men selling sex to men are a separate breed, and you could mortally offend your jinetero by ignoring the distinction. Meet the pinguero, a muscular young man, often heterosexual, who prostitutes himself for money.

Unlike business with a jinetera, man2man transactions tend to be brief, task-focused, and with no strings attached. Most pingueros procure and manage their own clientele, but should you be unsure of where the action is, your faithful jinetero will happily show you the way.

2. Sexual jineteros

I call sexual jineteros those hustlers whose primary interest lays in establishing romantic relationships with visiting foreign women, often considerably older, for financial gain.

They are the mirror image of the classic jinetera, with the difference that you will be hard pressed to find someone who plays this game out of need. These individuals like partying, dress flashily, and aren’t terribly interested in holding down a job or running a business. Unless the job is an easy one (e.g. escort) and the business fully funded by their sugamama.

Also, most sexual jineteros lack a strong drive to flee the country since they prefer living the high life without too much exertion. So what better than hanging out in cool clubs and hitting on fat-walleted ladies yearning for romance? All it takes is a little social limberness to juggle the regulars.

Sexual jineteros comprise a tiny fraction of Havana’s men but are disproportionally represented amongst the Cubans with whom tourists come into contact. Particularly at risk are women who hang out in salsa clubs, which are notoriously swamped with grifters. And even if you don’t fit the profile of their preferred target, you will be hit on by shady types with more frequency and ardor than at home.

While some — very few — of such relationships are genuine or end up becoming so, someone who falls in love within minutes of meeting you at the bar will fall in love (with someone else) within minutes of you leaving that bar. Or as soon as you board your outbound flight.

Men and women who aren’t jineteros and jineteras — the majority!

Other reasons for the romantic success of foreigners are less sinister, and revolve around the fact that Cubans are an easygoing bunch who is genuinely curious about the outside world. Furthermore, men and women have a more relaxed and shame-free attitude towards sex than westerners, so casual hookups — whichever the passport of the lovers — are not frowned upon.

Differences between jineteros and jineteras summed up

1. Jineteros are generalists . They are multitalented hustlers adept at spotting trusting people and those most likely to succumb to charm. They sell counterfeit cigars, will show you “the best paladar” in town (their cousin’s living room or one of Havana’s worst tourist traps) and offer grossly overpriced city tours with “professional” guides. On occasion jineteros can be gigolos too, but they always leave proper male-on-male prostitution to pingueros.

2. Jineteras are more specialised than their male colleagues in that their core business is selling sex — or love, depending on what end of the jineteral continuum they tread. In fact, a jinetera can be anything from a street hooker to a woman who doggedly pursues foreign boyfriends. What she is certainly not, however, is someone who will maliciously stir you towards a terrible meal.

Originally published at https://crazyabouthavana.com on June 6, 2019.