A moment of high tension was captured on video in Havana when a private taxi driver was fined by two inspectors who were traveling incognito in his vehicle.
The images shared by journalist Mario J. Pentón capture the moment when the officials identify themselves and impose a fine on the driver for charging a price higher than the established fare.
According to the video, the inspectors were traveling as passengers in a "almendrón" and, at the end of the trip, informed the driver that he would be fined for charging 600 Cuban pesos (CUP) for the ride.
“Daddy, you can't charge 600 pesos for that stretch,” one of the inspectors is heard saying after revealing her identity and mentioning that they got on in Santiago de Las Vegas heading to Havana.
The driver attempted to defend himself by arguing the high cost of fuel and the widespread increase in the prices of food and other supplies in the country, but the inspector issued the fine.
Amid a crisis marked by a shortage of gasoline and diesel, many private transporters claim that they are forced to adjust their fares in order to cover expenses and support their families.
In the conversation, the taxi driver questions the logic of the penalty in a context where fuel is sold at high prices and its availability is irregular.
The episode has sparked reactions on social media, where many users expressed their solidarity with the driver and criticized the authorities for focusing their efforts on regulating self-employed workers while serious structural problems in state public transportation persist.
Filed under: