The Cuban Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, threatened to take away the license and even the vehicles of all those who raise the prices of the service.
In the Council of Ministers held this week, Marrero Cruz emphasized the responsibility of local governments to enforce what is established and launched very specific threats that worsen the situation.
"We have to meet with all the economic actors, in this case the transporters, whether state or private, and make it clear what the established prices are and demand... and whoever violates it must be taken with all rigor and according to what is established , the corresponding measures," said the senior Cuban official.
"The license must be removed, and if it is repeated and if appropriate and so the courts of the justice system decide, even the vehicles, but they cannot allow these abuses and those price increases that are not justified based on the current situation of the fuel, that it is true that it is scarce, that it is true that the price increases but other decisions have been made to avoid those increases that sometimes have no justification," he added.
On social networks, the announcement has sparked controversy, many Internet users believe that the government will not be able to control prices, among other things because they do not have an efficient system of inspectors that can stop the rise.
"The same as always, the one who offers the product (transport in this case) retains it and holds on with its reserves. The usual screwed up: the people. The government: decides to turn a blind eye again to the new high prices imposed by the sector," said a commentator following a question from the independent media elToque about the alleged effectiveness of price control in Cuba.
"Not even he believes that, because he is the first to spend his life complaining on television that the State needs to improve its inspectorate. So what does the government have to enforce that or any other measure?" , questioned another.
"When the boatmen are lost, the coercive measures will dissipate"; "The driver parks the car and without leaving his house they will rent it and they will give him the money themselves, without him asking"; "Price control has never been good, as you know about economics! These were other criteria regarding the threat made by Marrero.
It is the second time in a few days that the Cuban government launches threats against the private transportation sector due to possible price increases.
On March 1, during a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Transportation from all over the country, Manuel Marrero urged to eliminate "softness" in the face of rising prices and announced a Crusade against the boatmen who increase the rates of services to the population.
"The increase in prices to the population by private transporters is a distortion that must be corrected," said Marrero Cruz, who called on the Ministry of Transportation and provincial and municipal administrations to control compliance with the established rates.
The government maintains that the preservation of wholesale fuel prices for private transporters should prevent the increase in the value of the services they offer to the population.
"We would like more private transporters to join, but we will not allow absurd prices to be applied," declared the Prime Minister at the time.
However, this contradicts the scenario of fuel shortage in Cuban pesos, when the availability of foreign currencies has become the norm, something that exacerbates the crisis.
The temporary stoppage in fuel sales in Cuba and the entry into force of its new rates on March 1, could lead to a price increase in the private transport sector.
The sale of services by the sector in 2023 slightly exceeded 530 million dollars, with a projection of reaching 570 million dollars for this year.
Despite such income, the transportation in Cuba continues to face severe limitations in its infrastructure and resources, which has resulted in a reduced capacity to meet the demand for mobility, both for passengers and cargo.
Transportation is a sector that is affected not only by the economic crisis, but also by internal restrictions and the inefficiency of the state sector.
In response to this context, the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez He urged the transportation sector to seek a turning point, insisting on the need to overcome internal obstacles because fuel shortages in the country will persist.
The government has tried in the past to regulate private transportation prices, but these attempts have not had the expected success and have led to protests, such as private taxi drivers strikes in 2023.
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