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Supermarket23 offers liquefied gas LPG in a 10 kg cylinder—commonly known as "balita"—for 29 dollars, with free shipping, under a condition that has no exceptions: the recipient in Cuba must provide an empty cylinder of the same size and in good condition to receive the full one.
The news was highlighted this Tuesday by the Cuban announcer Laritza Camacho, who posted on Facebook with irony: "At supermarket 23, the canister of liquefied gas is 29 dollars. The truth is, it's a capitalism with a kind of character... irreversible."
The platform specifies in the product description: "The recipient must have an empty 10 kg cylinder (balita) in good condition to carry out the exchange. Without an empty cylinder, the delivery cannot be completed."
The empty cylinder delivered must also meet minimum safety requirements: no perforations larger than two centimeters, a stable base, no advanced rust, and the ring in good condition.
Supermarket23 warns that "failure to comply with any of these conditions will result in the rejection of the empty cylinder at the time of delivery," and clarifies that the product is delivered sealed, without installation service.
It is worth noting that individuals knowledgeable about the subject confirmed to CiberCuba that the liquefied gas sold by this sales platform is imported from the U.S. by small and medium enterprises, with a license from the American government.
The 29 dollars that the small item costs is equivalent to 15,660 Cuban pesos at the informal exchange rate in effect this Tuesday, which is around 540 pesos per dollar, according to elTOQUE.
For most Cubans earning salaries in national currency, that amount represents an unaffordable expense.
The Cuban peso has lost nearly 95% of its value against the dollar since 2020, when it was trading at 42 pesos per dollar.
In just the last 12 months, the US dollar has risen by 47.8% against the peso, driven by the currency crisis the island is experiencing.
The offer from Supermarket23 comes amid a chronic crisis of state-provided LPG supply.
In January 2025, CUPET extended the purchasing cycle to one cylinder every two months in Ciego de Ávila, while the shortage in Matanzas affected over 109,000 households between October and December 2024.
In January 2026, the tanker Emilia returned empty to Cuba due to the State's inability to make payments, further worsening the shortages.
As a partial response, the regime expanded the manufactured gas service in Havana with a target of 25,000 customers, without addressing the underlying issue.
In parallel, the dollarization of the energy sector is advancing relentlessly. Since January 2024, nearly 30 state-owned gas stations are selling fuel exclusively in dollars, and the private sector has begun to import diesel directly from the United States under licenses authorized by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The regime, for its part, approved a regulation in February to force platforms like Supermarket23 to channel their foreign currency income into the state banking system.
The requirement to return an empty cylinder in good condition adds another barrier for many Cuban families, whose containers have accumulated years of deterioration without proper maintenance, which could prevent them from accessing the service even if they have the 29 dollars.
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