A new image of the fuel crisis in Cuba went viral in recent hours: a man was seen filling the gas tank of a car with a plastic bottle of gasoline just a few meters from José Martí International Airport in Havana.
The video, shared by the user @lucasima06 on TikTok, shows an individual approaching a vehicle with private plates and beginning to pour fuel directly from a plastic container.
"When you think you've seen it all, just as you're leaving the airport, you have people selling and filling up your gas tank," wrote the author of the post.
The scene has become common in various parts of the capital, where informal fuel resellers take advantage of the scarcity to offer a liter at prices well above the official rate, often in front of transportation hubs or roads near the airport.
The phenomenon occurs amid the supply crisis the country is experiencing and the new "ticket" system implemented by the regime to try to control the supply at state-run gas stations, where lines can last up to 12 hours or more.
In Havana, many drivers claim that filling up the tank has turned into an almost impossible mission. "You need to have luck or connections," commented a user on social media, where complaints about bribery, favoritism, and clandestine sales are abundant.
The black market for gasoline is not new in Cuba, but the current scarcity—exacerbated by poor state management and a lack of crude oil imports—has driven these practices even in tourist areas and around the country’s main airport.
While the regime remains silent about the crisis, scenes like this are multiplying, showcasing the precariousness of the Cuban energy system and the growing ingenuity of citizens to survive amidst the chaos.
Filed under: