Fuel shortages have paralyzed public transport in Havana, forcing residents to rely on expensive private options. New government restrictions, announced recently, limit gasoline sales to dollars and drastically cut interprovincial services. This has raised prices for basic goods and disrupted daily life for the population.
Havana presents a scene of urban paralysis due to the fuel and energy crisis. Bus stops are empty, and routes like the A29 between Regla and Guanabacoa have ceased operating entirely. Urban public transportation, already fragile, has nearly vanished, according to reports from the area.
At spots like the Guanabacoa traffic light, inspectors halt state vehicles to compel drivers to pick up passengers, though few official cars are on the roads. This creates improvised and irregular mobility, reliant on luck or administrative pressure. A woman waiting there voiced uncertainty about how long it would take her to reach her destination.
The lack of buses drives people to private transport, now a luxury. A collective taxi ride from the Guanabacoa traffic light to Parque de la Fraternidad costs 350 pesos, plus 200 more to El Vedado, totaling 550 pesos to cross the city. One passenger remarked: “I spent the money I had planned for this outing just on transportation”.
Electric three-wheelers, touted as a sustainable alternative, charge slightly less—50 or 100 pesos below cars—but their fares have risen exponentially over the past two weeks. These vehicles, holding up to six passengers, struggle with Havana's potholes, forcing low speeds and risky detours.
The crisis extends beyond mobility to basic goods prices. A small shopkeeper in Regla said suppliers raised bread prices by 20 pesos due to fuel issues, fearing it will spread to other foods. A Guanabacoa resident reflected: “People think that since work hours and school have been cut back there’s no need to move around, but what do I do if I want to see a relative or go out at night?”.
On the Mesa Redonda program, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Óscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga acknowledged low fuel availability and outlined new restrictions. The Cimex Corporation postponed fuel sales in pesos and diesel in dollars for the public. From February 7, the Ticket app will apply at dollar-gas stations, limiting purchases to 20 liters per registration.
The Ministry of Transport announced drastic cuts to interprovincial services, suspension of national routes, and nationwide adjustments to urban and worker transport. Trains run every eight days, buses are canceled, and priority goes to strategic sectors. One account sums it up: “People without money will get around through charity—or they won’t get around at all”.
