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A Cuban has sparked debate on social media after posting a video on TikTok in which he claims to have paid 5,000 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each liter of gasoline in the informal market, amidst the fuel crisis and prolonged blackouts affecting the island.
The video, shared by the user @losfueradrosca, shows the man visibly upset as he explains how much he had to pay to stock up.
"I just came back extremely insulted from the street. Look at this, gentlemen, look at what is happening right now in Cuba," he begins, while showing the fuel he bought.
According to the account, he purchased ten liters of gasoline at 5,000 CUP each.
"This is gasoline, okay, gasoline is already at five thousand pesos per liter," he states in the video.
The Cuban explains that the total purchase amounted to 50,000 pesos.
"We're talking about the fact that what I bought was ten liters. Ten liters, gentlemen, are currently fifty thousand pesos," he details.
It also compares the spending with the informal exchange rate that circulates on the island. “We are talking about the exchange rate of elToque, which is the rate that all Cubans follow; the dollar is at five hundred ten, so fifty thousand pesos. It almost cost me a hundred dollars, let's round it up, a hundred dollars,” he comments.
The man claims that fuel is essential for keeping a power plant operational and for riding his motorcycle during prolonged blackouts.
"It was difficult for me to get ten liters of gasoline, which aren’t enough for a week, just to be able to turn on the generator and move around on my bike," he explains.
It also describes the frequency of power outages it faces. "They are cutting off the electricity for eight, ten, twelve, fifteen hours; there are people who are going without power for a whole day," he states.
The video ends with a reflection on the country's situation. "This is how bad things are... so, what do I do, what do we do, gentlemen? This is ugly, this is ugly, ugly ugly ugly."
The post generated numerous reactions in the comments section. Some users expressed disbelief at the price of fuel. "That has to be a lie... you’re saying it cost you 10 dollars per liter?” wrote one commenter.
Others linked the issue to the country's political situation or called for protests. "If all of Cuba goes out to protest... there aren't enough prisons in Cuba to lock up an entire country," commented another person.
There were also those who placed the blame on those who buy fuel in the informal market. “It's your own fault for paying that way,” noted a user.
The complaint coincides with a sharp increase in gasoline prices in the informal market. In recent months, the price per liter has been offered between 3,500 and 3,800 pesos, which is approximately equivalent to between six and eight dollars according to the informal exchange rate, as reflected in reports and announcements published on social media about how gasoline in Cuba has reached up to 8 dollars per liter in the informal market.
The rise in fuel prices has also directly impacted transportation. Users on social media have reported increasingly higher fares for trips within Havana and for interprovincial travel, in a context of scarcity where the price of tickets has become a topic of public debate, as happened when a post about a 500 peso trip sparked a discussion about transportation costs in Cuba.
The lack of fuel has even led some Cubans to seek alternative solutions for transportation. Recently, images circulated on social media of a car modified to run on charcoal using a gas generator system, an old technology used in times of scarcity, as seen in the case of a modified Fiat in Cuba that runs on charcoal.
As scarcity persists and prices continue to rise in the informal market, many Cubans turn to social media to share experiences, denounce the situation, or express frustration over the impact of fuel on daily life.
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