A video posted on TikTok by user @guajirita.cubana shows the harsh conditions that Cubans in the eastern part of the country must endure while commuting daily. The young woman recorded her journey from Bayamo to Bueycito, a route that is part of the Bayamo–Buey Arriba path, aboard an old truck that has been converted into a bus.
"Not all Cubans go through this situation, but the majority do. This is the most economical option; it costs 200 pesos from Bayamo to Buey Arriba, but in my case, I paid 100 because I was going to Bueycito," explained the creator, while showing the rundown vehicle filled with passengers.
The images showcase the level of overcrowding within the transport: dozens of people are traveling standing, pressed against one another, gripping onto any bar or metal corner. “I was more cramped than the minimum wage in Cuba,” joked the young woman, exhausted from the heat and lack of space.
The video, which has already garnered thousands of views, reflects a common reality in Cuban intermunicipal transportation, where citizens are forced to use trucks adapted for passengers due to the scarcity of buses and fuel.
"When I thought no more people could get on, I could hear more people in the distance. I was desperate to get off. The truth is, it's incredibly uncomfortable to travel like this... Well, the images speak for themselves," she recounted as she descended from the vehicle, assisted by another passenger.
The deterioration of public transportation is one of the main issues facing Cubans, especially in the eastern provinces, where journeys between towns turn into true daily odysseys for workers and students.
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