Sandro Castro, grandson of Fidel Castro, posted a video on his Instagram stories confirming that the importation of vehicles to Cuba is "completely halted," but attributed the cause to "a logistical issue" and stated that it would be temporary.
The most publicized grandson of Fidel Castro has been speculating about how long the Cuban regime will maintain the measure. He didn't tell the story correctly, so here are some facts you should know. The original video was shared on social media and generated a wide reaction.
What exactly did Sandro Castro say?
"Some followers have been asking me if it’s true that the importation of vehicles to Cuba is on hold. It is completely on hold, but it won't be forever. It's a matter of one month, two months, due to logistical issues. And yes, vehicles cannot be brought in at the moment," he stated.
When was the suspension officially announced and what does it cover?
The measure is neither new nor informal. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX) officially ordered the suspension on February 19, 2026, through a resolution signed by First Deputy Minister Carlos Luis Jorge Méndez.
The ban covers new hires, shipments, and contracts that have already been signed awaiting shipment, including consignment operations.
The real cause is not logistics: it's the fuel crisis
Cuba is experiencing an unprecedented energy crisis, with power outages of up to 20 hours a day in some provinces.
The suspension of imports of internal combustion vehicles directly responds to that emergency, as well as to the obvious administrative delays, as suggested by Sandro Castro, and to the escalating tensions between Cuba and the United States.
Who is exempt from the measure?
Not everyone is excluded. The resolution from MINCEX exempts vehicles intended for diplomatic and consular missions, Cuban cooperators abroad, professionals hired by Cuban entities, and crew members of ships and aircraft from the prohibition.
Vehicles that were already in customs at the time of the resolution can also be sold.
The privilege history of Sandro Castro
That the grandson of Fidel Castro talks about vehicle imports is not a coincidence. A report from the Food Monitor Program (FMP), published on February 25, 2026, explicitly cites him as an example of the privileged businesses linked to the regime's top officials, with preferential access to resources, permits, foreign currencies, and imports.
In July 2025, he was ; a passerby recorded him and confronted him, calling him "the Vampirach."
In March 2021, he had to apologize publicly for boasting about driving a Mercedes-Benz during the economic crisis and food shortages in the country.
How much money was involved in private imports before they slowed down?
The business was worth millions. Since the regime allowed individuals and small and medium enterprises to import vehicles in 2023, private imports from the United States exceeded 20 million dollars in the 15 months leading up to May 2024.
In just the first half of 2024, Cuba imported over 30 million dollars in vehicles from that country. The slowdown came gradually: starting in January 2025, the regime began to restrict access until a complete halt in February 2026.
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