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Katapulk joins Supermarket23 in the sale of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 10 kg cylinders—commonly referred to as "balitas"—priced at 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 take place. The product is delivered sealed and does not include installation service.
The condition has sparked a deluge of questions in the comments, and the most frequently asked question addresses a specific issue: “Should the empty cylinder be counted?”, wrote the user Iosvannis Arias Zamora.
The question is not minor. Gas cylinders in Cuba are not owned by citizens; they are under a free lease agreement with the State, and their number is registered at the regulated gas distribution point.
Delivering that registered cylinder to a private platform could leave the holder without access to state-provided gas.
GinaRosa Riera expressed her concerns clearly in the comments: "I worry that I will hand over my registered cylinder and then won't be able to obtain it through that channel at the regulated gas sales point. On top of that, the cylinders at the sales point are disgusting, all chipped and rusty."
Another user, John Papo, added: "I have a question. The bullet point is not specific; one has a free lease contract, and the number is registered at the gas station."
The empty cylinder delivered must also meet minimum requirements: no holes 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 most Cubans earning salaries in national currency, that amount is out of reach. The Cuban peso has lost about 95% of its value against the dollar since 2020, and just in the last 12 months, the dollar has risen by 47.8% against the peso.
The offer comes amid a chronic crisis in the state supply of LPG.
In January 2025, CUPET extended the purchase cycle to one cylinder every two months in Ciego de Ávila, while the shortage in Matanzas affected more than 109,000 households between October and December 2024.
Similarly, in January 2026, the tanker Emilia returned to Cuba empty due to the government's inability to pay, worsening the shortage.
As a partial response, the regime expanded the manufactured gas service in Havana with a goal of 25,000 clients, without addressing the structural problem.
The indignation was also felt. Sergei Montalvo Aróstegui wrote: "Put electricity, water, ETECSA, and everything else in dollars too, but pay Cubans in dollars as well, pay a decent salary. People cook with firewood, suffer from hunger and misery, and the solution is not to blame the blockade."
Marile Fuente was more succinct: "It no longer matters. They will no longer give you more in national currency."
Leticia Marrón Leyva requested Katapulk: “Please make a detailed post where you provide more arguments so that the public isn’t filled with doubts,” a request that summarizes the state of uncertainty in which most Cubans find themselves regarding an offer that, for many, raises more questions than solutions.
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