Riquimbilis invade Matanzas amid transportation crisis in Cuba.

In the city of Matanzas, the number of handmade vehicles known as "riquimbilis" is considerably increasing amid a severe transportation crisis.

These inventions, born out of necessity and scarcity, are the result of Cuban ingenuity to face the lack of fuel and the deficiency of state public transport, a problem that has persisted throughout the six decades of the regime.

The riquimbilis are assembled with parts from old cars, motorcycles, and sheets of iron and zinc. Radio 26 noted that currently these vehicles traverse the city from end to end, connecting key points such as the Canímar bridge and the Faustino Pérez Hospital.

These vehicles represent an immediate solution for transportation, but the service price is high. A complete trip can cost up to 200 pesos, which is inaccessible for many residents of Matanzas who rely on these means daily.

The riquimbilis are a reflection of the resilience and creativity of Cubans, but also a tangible example of the collapse of the public transportation system. For now, they are the only effective alternative for those who need to get to work or return home after a workday.

The lack of bus routes, a problem that has been lingering for years and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, has forced citizens to find solutions on their own.

Despite its usefulness, since 2021 the government began to promote a set of measures to regulate these vehicles, considering that many do not meet the safety requirements for passenger transport.

In February 2024, the second census was launched to legalize the "Partially Armed Vehicles," with the promise that it will be the last. However, the ban on building new vehicles creates uncertainty about the future of this solution to the transportation crisis.

The brand "Riquimbili" was born from ingenuity, but also from desperation in the face of a system that fails to meet the most basic needs of the population.