Gas Lines in Cuba Reflect the New "Temporary Situation"

Citizens have a weapon to show the world in real time what is happening on the island: their cellphones. (14ymedio)

14ymedio bigger14ymedio, Havana, 19 September 2019 — Lines have been a constant in the lives of Cubans for too many years, especially when it comes to getting food, using public transport or filling the fuel tank. In the last two cases the situation has worsened because, despite calls for calm from President Miguel Díaz-Canel and his ministers, the most notable quality of diesel right now is its absence.

This week, in many gas stations in the country, the cars that line up to fill the tank can wait up to four hours to be able to buy gas, although sometimes they don’t get it, because the service to have any to sell, they are just waiting for the supplies to show up.

This Wednesday at a gas station in Playa, on 5th avenue and 142nd, the line of cars exceeded three blocks, with the same situation at the roundabout near the CUJAE University. At the Cupet station on 84th and 13th the line of cars was over a quarter mile long. At another point of sale, located on Paseo and Malecón street, the vehicles reaches 12th street, a six block line of cars, one behind the other, waiting to fill their gas tanks, which is also limited to 40 liters per person.

Meanwhile, the official press and television repeat as a mantra that the situation is “temporary” and they mention neither crisis nor shortages. But now, unlike previous years, citizens have a weapon with which to show the world in real time what is happening on the Island: their cellphones.

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