THE CUBAN FUEL CRISIS 2019
When will fuel arrive? That is the million-peso question in Cuba today. The fact is many of us on the island are wondering if this is not the new reality in Cuba, a permanent fuel crisis at this “conjuncture” in time, that is how the Cuban government has labeled this situation. Thirty years ago we had the "special period" of near starvation, and now this. After several weeks the kilometer-long lines at gasoline stations continue. I am not surprised! We wait in line for everything!
Long lines have historically been a part of life in Cuba. Years of scarcity have trained and prepared us for this “conjecture,” but it angers and pains me every time I pass by a bus stop or a gas station and the lines are as remarkably long as at the start of this crisis. There is no escape! We go from running out of certain foods, eggs, flour, cooking oil, to running out of fuel. God knows what will be next!
This crisis has crippled private and public transportation throughout Cuba since late September. But I expected that after several weeks we would see the end of it, but what I see is all of us on the island very worried that it is not ending. That it’s lasting much longer than we had been told. We were warned by the government that this was coming! Now we must either get in line at a bus stop or a gas station, as our lives fade away waiting, along with our hope for a better future.
By Maria Grajales
October 4, 2019
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