Katapulk joins Supermarket23 in offering liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 10 kg cylinders —popularly known as "balitas"— for 29 dollars, with delivery available only in Havana, as announced by the platform on Facebook.
Both platforms operate under the same model: the recipient in Cuba must provide an empty cylinder of the same size and in good condition to receive a full one. Without an empty cylinder, delivery will not be made. The product is delivered sealed and does not include installation service.
It is important to clarify that individuals knowledgeable about the subject have confirmed to CiberCuba that the liquefied gas sold through this sales platform is imported from the U.S. by small and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes), with a license from the American government.
The condition has sparked a flood of questions in the comments, and the most frequently asked question points to a specific issue: “Should the empty cylinder be counted?”, wrote user Iosvannis Arias Zamora.
The question is not insignificant. Gas cylinders in Cuba are not owned by citizens; they are under a free lease agreement with the State, and their numbers are recorded at the point of sale for regulated gas distribution.
Delivering that registered cylinder to a private platform could leave the holder without access to state-supplied gas.
GinaRosa Riera expressed it clearly in the comments: "I'm worried that I will turn in my registered cylinder and then won’t be able to purchase one through that method at the regulated gas sales point. Besides the fact that the cylinders at that point are disgusting, all chipped and rusty."
Another user, John Papo, added: "I have a question. The little bullet is not specific; one has a free rental contract and the number is registered at the gas station."
The empty cylinder that is delivered must also meet minimum requirements: no perforations larger than two centimeters, a stable base, no advanced rust, and the ring in good condition.
Katapulk warns that "failure to comply with any of these conditions will result in the rejection of the empty cylinder at the time of delivery," which adds another barrier for families whose containers have accumulated years of deterioration without maintenance.
The 29 dollars that the bullet costs is equivalent to approximately 15,660 Cuban pesos at the current unofficial exchange rate, which hovers around 540 pesos per dollar.
For the majority of Cubans who earn salaries in national currency, that figure is unattainable. The Cuban peso has lost nearly 95% of its value against the dollar since 2020, and in just the last 12 months, the dollar has risen by 47.8% against the peso.
The offer comes amid a chronic crisis in the state's supply of LPG.
In January 2025, CUPET extended the purchase cycle to one canister every two months in Ciego de Ávila, while the shortage in Matanzas affected more than 109,000 households between October and December 2024.
In the same way, in January 2026, the tanker Emilia returned empty to Cuba due to the State's inability to make payments, 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 structural issue.
Outrage was also palpable. Sergei Montalvo Aróstegui wrote: "Put the electricity, water, ETECSA, and everything else in dollars too, but also pay Cubans in dollars, pay a decent wage. People are cooking with firewood, suffering from hunger and misery, and the solution is not to blame the blockade."
Marile Fuente was more succinct: “It no longer matters. They’re not going to give you more in national currency.”
Leticia Marrón Leyva asked Katapulk: "Please make a comprehensive post where you provide more arguments so that the people are not filled with doubts," a request that reflects the state of uncertainty in which most Cubans find themselves in the face of an offer that, for many, raises more questions than it answers.
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