A Cuban emigrant in Abkhazia experienced a scene this week that she thought she had left behind forever: a four-hour wait at a gas station just to purchase 20 liters of fuel.
Milly, who documents her life in that territory of the Southern Caucasus under the Instagram profile @lafamiliaromero1 (La Familia Romero), shared the experience in a reel that sparked reactions among Cubans in the diaspora.
"Today we experienced something that I honestly thought I would never go through again after leaving Cuba. We stood in line for about four hours to get gasoline, and when it was finally our turn... Do you know how much they were selling? Only 20 liters! That’s when I thought: My God, this is reminding me too much of Cuba," he said in the video.
What Abkhazia reminds him of Cuba
For Milly, the experience was not just a logistical inconvenience, but an emotional blow that reignited memories she thought she had overcome.
"For someone who has never experienced this, maybe four hours waiting for gas are simply four hours. But for a Cuban, this awakens memories. The lines, the uncertainty, not knowing if by the time it’s your turn, there will still be what you need," he reflected.
The content creator emphasized the fundamental difference between the two situations. In Abkhazia, she hopes the problem is temporary, whereas in Cuba, "many times you didn't know when the problem would end."
At the end of the reel, he posed a question that summarizes the feelings of many emigrants: “After waiting for four hours, all I could think was: Is it possible that the blackout is following us? It seems that you leave Cuba, but there are experiences that stay with you.”
Where is Abkhazia, the country that almost no Cuban knows?
Abkhazia is a territory with limited recognition located on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. It has declared itself an independent republic since the war with Georgia in 1992-1993. Russia recognized it as an independent country in 2008.
It has an area of approximately 8,600 km² and a population of between 240,000 and 245,000 inhabitants. Its capital is Sujumi. It uses the Russian ruble as its currency and is structurally dependent on Moscow for energy, food, and financial support, making it particularly vulnerable to the economic upheavals caused by the war in Ukraine.
The fuel crisis currently facing Abkhazia in August 2026 has roots in its near-total dependence on Russia for energy supplies.
However, SWI reported that Georgia sent for the first time this Friday a shipment of 300 tons of gasoline to Abkhazia coinciding with the anniversary of the start of the war that divided the territories. This separatist conflict erupted on August 14, 1992.
In her Instagram profile, Milly has a reel titled “The country that almost no Cuban knows” that has garnered over 73,000 views. In that video, the content creator explains why she believes that Abkhazia is a good place to start a new life as Cuban immigrants. “I’m not selling a dream, I’m just sharing my real experience,” she stated.
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