Transportation Crisis in Cuba: Up to a Thousand Pesos for a Trip from Alamar to Matanzas

The complainant argued that, by using a state vehicle and fuel provided by the government, the driver should not impose excessive charges.

Cubana denuncia precios abusivos de un chofer del gobierno © Collage Facebook / Omara Suárez Santana
Cuban woman reports exorbitant prices charged by a government driver.Photo © Collage Facebook / Omara Suárez Santana

A Cuban expressed her outrage on social media this Sunday after what she described as an abuse by a driver, who charged her 1,000 pesos for transporting her from Alamar to Matanzas, using a state vehicle and government-provided fuel.

Omara Suárez Santana, a resident of Havana, reported on Facebook what she considered to be a theft: "And let no one tell me otherwise, the first scammers are the state drivers who take advantage of the population."

Facebook Capture / Omara Suárez Santana

"We are in this situation because there is no one to stop these scams," Suárez stated in his post, pointing out that such practices are common on weekends, when many state drivers use government resources for their personal affairs.

In her report, the woman explained that she took photos of the vehicle involved, although she regretted not having captured the driver's face.

However, he stated that he has the car’s license plate and plans to send the evidence to various ministries, starting with the Ministry of Transportation, so that the authorities can take action on the matter.

The transportation situation in Cuba continues to worsen, and these types of complaints reflect the growing discontent among citizens who depend on state transportation, which increasingly leaves people more abandoned each day.

Last July, the Cuban government acknowledged the transportation crisis in the country, revealing that more than half of the provincial routes are inactive, as stated during a session of the Cuban Parliament.

Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, the Minister of Transportation (Mitrans), stated that by the end of April, 52% of the routes of provincial transportation companies were inactive, as reported by the official newspaper Granma.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel himself acknowledged the disastrous state of transportation in Cuba; however, he stated that it is a phenomenon linked to the global crisis.

During the YouTube program 'Desde la Presidencia,' which he hosts himself, the leader stated that the sector is experiencing its "worst moments in recent years."

An example of the above was the recent halt of public transportation in the province of Pinar del Río due to a lack of fuel.

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