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The fuel crisis in Cuba continues to impact public transportation. Authorities in Sancti Spíritus announced on Wednesday the suspension and adjustment of several passenger services due to the low availability of diesel in the province.
According to reported by the Transportation Directorate of the Provincial Administration of the People's Power, the measure aims to maintain "vital services" with the limited resources available.
Among the main disruptions is the suspension, starting this Thursday, of bus services between the municipalities and the provincial capital, as well as intercity transport within the city of Sancti Spíritus.
Travel to the communities of Paredes, Guasimal, and Tunas de Zaza is also suspended, according to statements from Alberto Martínez García, director of the Provincial Transport Company, to the official newspaper Escambray.
The connection between Sancti Spíritus and Havana is currently maintained with a daily departure at 1:00 a.m. and a return at 2:40 p.m.
The authorities assured that some essential services will continue to operate, such as the transportation of medical staff to provincial hospitals and the trips of the so-called medibuses within the province, as well as routes to Santa Clara and Havana.
Additionally, transportation for hemodialysis patients and the distribution of food related to the basic basket and social consumption will be maintained.
José Lorenzo García, director of Transportation for the Provincial Administration, stated that the ecomobiles will continue operating in the municipalities of Trinidad, Yaguajay, Cabaiguán, and Sancti Spíritus.
Amid the crisis, authorities also announced the upcoming arrival of 10 electric cars intended for the health system in Trinidad, as well as 10 electric tricycles to provide services in Jatibonico and Fomento.
It is not the first time the province has faced a situation like this. In February, passengers were stranded at the Sancti Spíritus terminal heading to eastern provinces for the same reason, and the Diana buses, local trains, and intercity services were suspended.
The crisis is a result of a structural collapse in hydrocarbon supply. Since January 2026, Venezuela has stopped sending between 32,000 and 35,000 barrels daily following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, and Pemex suspended exports to Cuba due to debts exceeding 1.5 billion dollars. The only relief came on March 31, when a Russian tanker docked in Matanzas with 730,000 barrels, enough for barely seven to ten days of national consumption.
The president Miguel Díaz-Canel himself admitted on May 2 that this oil was depleting without a date for new shipments. As acknowledged by the Minister of Energy, Cuba needs eight fuel ships per month but has only received one since December 2025.
For this Thursday, the Russian tanker Universal remains adrift in the Atlantic about 1,600 kilometers from Cuba, with 270,000 barrels on board, and no confirmed destination due to the pressure of U.S. sanctions.
The citizens' reaction on social media was one of outrage. Several comments pointed out the contradiction of having mobilized hundreds of buses for the May 1st parade just days before these cancellations. "This was to be expected after having spent thousands of liters of fuel for May 1st," wrote one user. Another noted: "At my age, I don't remember a Mother's Day without transportation."
Radio Sancti Spíritus specified that "these measures are temporary and their duration will depend on the improvement of the hydrocarbon supply in the country," a situation that leaves passengers from Sancti Spíritus in uncertainty.
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