There is fuel for political theatre, but not for everyday life.
Transport “is guaranteed.” This is what official communiqués issued in Santiago de Cuba announce, in bombastic tones and administrative language. The authorities report that several buses have been assigned, with specific departure points, early schedules and guaranteed routes. However, this is not a structural improvement to the system, nor is it a relief for the thousands of citizens who are stranded every day at bus stops with no service. The available fuel is earmarked for the “funeral tribute to the Cuban combatants who fell in Venezuela”, scheduled for Thursday in the Plaza de la Revolución Antonio Maceo and, hours later, in the Santa Ifigenia cemetery.
The Provincial Transport Company of Santiago de Cuba announced that it has arranged a “special assurance” to transport the population en masse to both venues. Starting at 5:30 a.m., basic units will pick up attendees at at least twelve points in the municipal capital—Abel Santamaría, Ciudamar, Punta Gorda, Caney, Boniato, Versalles, Altamira, among others—with the aim of ensuring massive attendance at the political-funeral ceremony in the square. For the second ceremony, scheduled for four in the afternoon in Santa Ifigenia, buses will be provided at Prolongación de Martí.
This display contrasts sharply with the situation experienced by the people of Santiago – and Cubans in general – in their daily lives. Just one day earlier, official notices and posts on institutional social media accounts had announced the suspension or reduction of suburban and inter-city routes due to a “lack of fuel”.
The scene is repeated across the country, with routes cancelled without prior notice.
In Guantánamo, local authorities bluntly acknowledged the magnitude of the problem on Tuesday. The Provincial Administration Council reported that urban routes 2, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 would be completely suspended “due to fuel shortages,” leaving thousands of Guantanamo residents without public transport for their daily commutes. In the brief announcement, the government merely recommended the use of “alternative means” and asked for “understanding,” a now-familiar formula that shifts the cost of a crisis that the state itself admits it cannot manage onto its citizens.
Also in Havana, local authorities acknowledged that almost all of the “GACela” minibuses are out of service and that only a small group of these vehicles are operating with restrictions and unable to complete all planned journeys. The GACelas – a key part of public transport in the capital – will operate “as long as fuel allows”, according to the brief official statement, which apologised for the inconvenience and promised to keep the population informed.
The scene is repeated across the country with routes cancelled without warning, buses that do not run, frequencies reduced to the extreme, and workers who must walk miles to get to their workplaces. Fuel shortages, acknowledged on an ongoing basis by the authorities and exacerbated following the US intervention in Caracas, which resulted in the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, are the standard explanation given to justify the collapse of public transport.
However, when the calendar marks a politically sensitive date, fuel miraculously appears. The Plaza de la Revolución Antonio Maceo does not fill itself. Neither does Santa Ifigenia. Spontaneous attendance at these events requires planning, logistics and, above all, a lot of fuel. Thus, buses that do not run the rest of the week are put into service to ensure the image of a people accompanying the government in its heroic and sacrificial narrative.
Translated by GH
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