The Cuban reggaeton artist Jorge Junior expressed his outrage on social media regarding what he sees as unequal treatment in the distribution of gasoline in Cuba, amid the deep fuel crisis the country is facing.
Through , the artist questioned the restrictions faced by citizens within the island regarding access to fuel, contrasting it with what he claims occurs for those arriving from abroad.
"I'm going to say something, and if it bothers someone, that's their problem. I'm going to ask a question: Is the money of Cubans living on the island worth something or not? And how much is it worth to this system?" he wrote.
He also denounced what he considers unequal treatment in fuel distribution: “But what I'm getting at is, for us on the inside, gas is rationed by ticket, but those coming from outside get 20 liters or a little more daily without a ticket; here's my question: why do they get that and we don’t? I pay with the same money they do.”
Jorge Junior also shared his personal experience when trying to refuel: “After returning from Europe yesterday, I went to see if I could get gasoline with my classic card, just as I had before I left. It turns out it has changed; now it's supposedly based on a ticket or turn that never arrives. I've been waiting almost a year to receive the euros I earn from my copyright in my bank, and still nothing.”
The musician also criticized the official explanations regarding the crisis: “If you don't have time, get yourselves a mathematician, because the flaws in this nonsense you've presented are obvious at first glance. Oh, and don't tell me now that it's the fault of the blockade.”
His statements come amid a context characterized by fuel shortages and the rise of the informal market, where prices have reached prohibitive levels for most of the population.
As reported by independent journalist Camila Acosta, a liter of gasoline in Havana is sold for around 4,000 Cuban pesos (CUP), which is equivalent to about 8 dollars in the informal market.
In another case spread on social media, a citizen reported having paid up to 5,000 CUP per liter of gasoline, which amounts to nearly 100 dollars for just ten liters of fuel.
The lack of supply at state stations has forced many Cubans to turn to the informal market, fueling a spiral of increasingly higher prices. This situation has also directly impacted public and private transportation, driving up the costs of travel within cities and between provinces.
Meanwhile, public discontent is growing regarding what many see as ineffective and unequal measures in the management of an essential resource, in a country where the energy crisis continues to worsen without visible short-term solutions.
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