A BP gas station located at 1598 W 68th St, in Hialeah, sold gasoline for $1.99 per gallon on Wednesday, in a limited-time promotion that caused lines to form starting in the early morning and became an unexpected relief for drivers in South Florida.
The initiative was driven by UniVista Insurance and Loyalty Insurance, and was available from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with a limit of 10 gallons per vehicle and on a first-come, first-served basis.
The contrast with usual prices was striking: that same day, the average price per gallon in Miami-Dade County was $4.37, while the state average in Florida reached $4.46, according to data from AAA.
According to Telemundo 51, lines began to form as early as five in the morning, hours before the promotion started, highlighting the impact that high fuel costs have on working families in the area.
Iván Herrera, CEO of UniVista Insurance, explained the motivation behind the event: "This event is a direct way to support our community, not just with words, but with actions."
Geraldine Velloch, the company's spokesperson, added that this is their "way of thanking the public that has trusted us through all these years, especially during this difficult economic time, when the price of gasoline is so high."
The residents who went to the gas station did not hide their relief. Noraida Rodríguez encapsulated the feelings of many: "It's a little money that you save and can use for other things." Freddy Paulino was more direct: "With the economy the way it is today, at least twenty or forty dollars can buy something for the house."
Herrera is a Cuban-American entrepreneur who arrived in the United States as a balsero from Cuba and founded UniVista in 2009. Today, the company has over 300 offices and 3,000 employees and has become one of the most recognized insurance providers in the Hispanic community in Florida.
It is not the first time that UniVista has organized such initiatives in Hialeah. In 2018, the company offered gasoline for $1 per gallon in the same manner, when the average in Florida was around $2.82.
The current increase in fuel prices is a response to an unfavorable international context. The price of gasoline in the United States soared by more than 50% following the military conflict with Iran that began on February 28, 2026, which blocked the Strait of Hormuz and pushed the price of Brent crude oil up to $114.60. Since then, the price per gallon in Florida has increased by more than $1.46.
In January, the Trump administration celebrated the drop in gasoline prices as one of its economic achievements; today, the state average exceeds $4.51, according to AAA.
«Given the current state of the economy, twenty or forty dollars at least can buy something for the home,» summarized Freddy Paulino, one of the drivers who took advantage of the promotion, in statements collected by Telemundo 51.
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