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A Cuban identified as Roberto Ernesto Perez Pedroza posted an emotional story of solidarity on Facebook that went viral: he ran out of gas in the middle of a road with his wife, and a stranger gave him five liters of fuel without asking for anything in return.
The incident occurs at the worst moment of the fuel crisis that the Island is experiencing, with the roads practically deserted and the black market price skyrocketing to 5,000 Cuban pesos per liter, a figure that exceeds the average monthly salary of a Cuban worker.
"When I saw that the car wasn't accelerating, I felt like the world was crashing down on me. Who was going to give me fuel in the middle of nowhere? And with the prices and how scarce everything is, it felt like a nearly impossible mission. I thought I was going to have to sleep on the highway."
From that moment on, uncertainty took hold of the situation. With no immediate options and in the midst of a crisis that has paralyzed a large part of transportation in the country, Roberto and his wife began to search for any alternative to escape the predicament.
She reported that she grabbed a hose and tried to stop other drivers in hopes of getting at least a bit of fuel, while he searched the area for any container that could be used to store gasoline.
In the midst of desperation, small gestures of solidarity began to emerge.
First, a driver stopped thinking there was a mechanical failure. Although he had no fuel to offer them, he promised to help them if he passed by the area again.
Shortly after, a truck driver passing in the opposite direction also stopped to inquire about what had happened; he couldn't resolve the issue at that moment either, but he left open the possibility of returning to tow the vehicle.
The scene, however, remained uncertain. As time went on, the possibility of spending the night on the road—without food, surrounded by mosquitoes and with no guarantees of a solution—began to feel increasingly real.
That's when the unexpected happened.
While Roberto was returning empty-handed from his search, a white truck stopped next to his car. Its driver got out, briefly spoke with his wife, and then headed to the back of the vehicle. From there, he took out a small fuel tank. Within seconds, they began pouring the five liters that would completely change the situation into the car.
Roberto himself describes the moment as something difficult to process: "I was in shock, I couldn't believe it." But what impacted him the most was not just the help, but the stranger's response when they tried to pay him.
"He looked at us and told us that we didn't have to give him anything, that he did it to help us because he knew what it was like to be abandoned," he recounted.
The gesture, amidst a crisis where fuel has become one of the scarcest and most expensive goods in the country, takes on an even greater significance. Roberto interprets it as a demonstration of the Cuban's solidarity, even in extreme conditions.
In his publication, he reflects on that collective attitude which, according to him, is part of the national identity. He evokes historical and cultural roots to explain this willingness to help others even in the face of scarcity, and he concludes that this spirit remains alive in Cuban society.
"A Cuban not only gave me the fuel to keep going and the chance to sleep in my bed, he gave me much more than that, he gave me hope," he wrote.
The story sparked a wave of reactions on social media, where dozens of users highlighted the gesture as an example of humanity in challenging times.
An internet user commented: "You are absolutely right, we are incredible beings and God never lets go of our hand." Another emphasized the sacrifice implicit in that act: "That other Cuban who shared their last bit of gas with you, that's something only we Cubans do, no matter where we are."
Other messages highlighted the emotional impact of the story. "That's being Cuban; it has allowed me to regain my faith," wrote one user.
There were also those who saw this type of gesture as a key to the country's future. "That's great, that's why I still believe that Cuba can be saved," said one person. "In the same way, we will save it, we Cubans, those of us who feel it is our Cuba," emphasized another.
Someone else added: "Blessings for him and for you too, there are people who do not appreciate, and you were very grateful."
The story, beyond the anecdotal, highlights the level of precariousness that the country is facing, where running out of fuel can mean being completely stranded with no alternatives.
But it also reveals how, in the midst of that crisis, individual acts emerge that make a difference and support, at least on a human level, those who face increasingly difficult daily challenges.
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