The Minister of Economy and Planning, Joaquín Alonso Vázquez, stated this Thursday that the sale of gasoline in dollars is an "exceptional and temporary measure" that responds to the need to reorganize the fuel supply due to low available inventories.
During a working session at the Palace of the Revolution, led by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, the Minister of Economy explained that the measure has been coordinated in advance with the provincial governments and state entities involved in fuel distribution.
“First of all, this is an exceptional and temporary measure, coordinated in advance with all the provinces and provincial governments, for the purpose of reorganizing service stations, where regular fuels will be provided, and where state entities and prioritized organizations will be attended to… All of that is already prepared and adjusted,” assured the successor of the ousted Alejandro Gil Fernández.
His words, conveyed by the National Television News (NTV), resonate in the ears of millions of Cubans who, over the years, have heard authorities refer to "exceptional and temporary" as a description for countless decisions made by the regime, such as the MLC stores, the reduction of basic food basket quotas, the "temporary suspension" of cash deposits in U.S. dollars, or the recently announced “partial dollarization of the economy”, which grows more "partial" every day.
The minister also highlighted that the information has been communicated to state-owned enterprises to ensure awareness of the procedures applied and to reinforce control measures at the service stations. In this regard, he emphasized the importance of accounting control and adjustments in the internal management of the cards used for purchasing fuel.
Official justification and limitations
According to executives from the CIMEX Corporation and the Cuba-Petroleum Union (CUPET), the national production of premium gasoline will ensure the supply at the service stations authorized for sales in dollars.
However, since the announcement of the measure, it has become clear that availability remains limited, which has directly impacted the mobility of certain sectors.
The government insists that this measure aims to ensure better utilization of available resources and that, once stability in fuel supply is achieved, its continuation will be reviewed.
Meanwhile, the sale of premium gasoline in dollars will continue at designated service stations, under constant monitoring of its impact on the national economy.
External factors and CUPET's position
CUPET has held U.S. President Donald Trump accountable for the fuel situation in Cuba, pointing out that the tightening of the embargo and the targeting of entities that trade hydrocarbons with the island have restricted access to supply sources.
In a recent statement, CUPET emphasized that surveillance of vessels transporting fuel has reached unprecedented levels, severely limiting the country's ability to acquire oil and its derivatives.
The above contrasts with the recent arrival at Nipe Bay of the Russian tanker Akademik Gubkin, carrying a shipment of approximately 790,000 barrels of oil valued at 55 million dollars.
The regime's explanations do not withstand the weight of the evidence, which accumulates and reveals the government's inability to resolve the energy crisis. The recent shift in the Trump administration's foreign policy and its rapprochement with Moscow further undermines the regime's narrative to justify its failure.
Dollarization in the Cuban Context
The sale of gasoline in dollars is part of the partial dollarization process that the Cuban economy has undergone in recent years.
With the scarcity of foreign currency and the fuel deficit, the pricing of certain products and services in dollars has become a strategy to attract foreign currencies. However, this phenomenon has resulted in greater inequality, as only those with access to freely convertible currency can purchase certain essential goods and services.
In recent months, various measures have reinforced the presence of the dollar in the Cuban economy, which has generated criticism from experts and outrage among the population.
While the government maintains that these measures are necessary to ensure access to imported goods and to keep key sectors functioning, the reality for many Cubans is that the increasing dollarization excludes them from basic necessities, such as fuel.
Although the Díaz-Canel government has indicated that it will continue to assess the situation and adjust measures based on fuel availability in the country, uncertainty remains palpable, with private transporters and citizens concerned about access to gasoline and the impact that these decisions may have on the national economy and the daily lives of Cubans.
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