Modern pick-up collides with almendrón on dangerous Vedado road

An accident that occurred this Friday in Havana's Vedado caused damage to a modernpick-up that crashed into an American car from the 50s, known in Cuba as “almond”.

“It happened today at 19th and M, local residents report to the El Vedado de Hoy group. The Vedado. Havana. April 12, 2024,” said the user identified inFacebook asPedro Luis Garcia.

A photograph shared in the publication allowed us to appreciate the state in which both vehicles were left after the impact, with considerable damage to their bodies.

Despite the poor quality of the image, it can be distinguished that the almendrón is a Chevrolet from the 50s, while the modernpick-up It appears to be a Fiat Fullback Cross.

“M Street is hot. Two days ago there was an almendrón on 21st and M. Today this is on M and 19th,” observed an Internet user, drawing attention to the frequency of accidents that occur on M Street.

“That corner has become very complicated. "It's the second [accident] in a couple of days, right?" asked another user aware of the accidents on M Street. Others told her that it had been on the corner of 21st.

In mid-February, the US-Cuba Economic and Trade Council (USCTEC) published data according to whichCuba imported cars of various types worth almost 10 million dollars during 2023 from the United States.

The figures are reflected inthe streets of the country, where modern imported cars circulate with increasing frequency. Unfortunately, the number of them who are involved in accidents is also increasingly notable.

During 2023, new vehicles worth $357,442, second-hand cars ($4,385,612) and motorhomes ($186,500) were imported to the island.

They also highlighted the high figures in the acquisition of tractors used for agricultural use, worth $147,247, passenger cars ($1,790,107 from Miami and $175,475 from Tampa), ambulances and hearses ($78,590) and trucks of different types. denominations.

Last April, the United States Department of the Treasury granted licenses to Miami businessmenfor shipping cars, trucks, tractors and even trailers to self-employed workers in Cuba.

The license is for 10 million dollars and only allows shipping to self-employed workers, not to Cuban Government agencies.

In recent times, Cubans have reported with surprise on the networks sightings of lots of imported cars,as well as Mercedes Benz, Audis, Toyotas or Mazdas that dot the geography of a country where inequalities are increasingly widening.

The appearance of these cars has unleashed a flood of comments among the population. Many people are wondering if this is the "Lockdown?" and they assure that the dictatorship is not telling the truth about the United States economic embargo.

For the majority of CubansIt is incomprehensible that there are private entrepreneurs on the island with the resources to acquire these cars., while other people don't even have enough to eat.

There are those who claim that the owners of these luxury cars in Cuba can only be the "government goats" and others do not doubt that some MSME owners will soon suffer confiscations from the regime.

Meanwhile, in everyday life, Cuban workers struggle withthe hardships of transportation, food shortages and power outages, which are becoming more and more noticeable.