A Cuban family residing in Bauta, in the province of Artemisa, had to transport their deceased relative to the cemetery using a tricycle, due to the severe fuel shortage plaguing the country.
In a video shared with CiberCuba, the coffin is seen being transported on a tricycle, a vehicle commonly used for personal or goods transportation. This video underscores the serious fuel crisis affecting the nation, which has led to increasingly common scenes like this across Cuban society.
Recurrent Fuel Crisis Leads to Unusual Funeral Transport
Earlier this year, the body of a "combatant of the Cuban revolution" was transported to the cemetery in a tricycle due to the lack of a hearse in the municipality of Sagua de Tánamo, in Holguín. This incident was reported by a family member who described the situation as "shameless."
"My uncle Primitivo died yesterday, and today, they are transporting him to his burial in a tricycle because the town of Sagua de Tánamo in Holguín doesn't have a vehicle for this purpose, despite him being an international combatant," denounced the user identified as Orlys Pérez Matos.
A similar situation occurred with the deceased mother of a Cuban resident in Camagüey, who had to transport her body in a makeshift vehicle (known as a riquimbili) to the cemetery. This man publicly addressed Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, condemning the local Party and Government leaders in the municipality of Florida for their inability to maintain even a single vehicle for transporting the deceased.
In contrast, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, B8 trucks, typically used for transporting sugarcane, have been repurposed for transporting coffins with deceased persons.
Understanding Cuba's Fuel Crisis and Its Impact on Funeral Services
The ongoing fuel crisis in Cuba has led to unconventional and often distressing methods for transporting the deceased. Below are some key questions and answers regarding this situation.
What caused the fuel shortage in Cuba?
The fuel shortage in Cuba is primarily caused by economic sanctions, mismanagement, and the island's reliance on imported fuel, which has been severely disrupted.
How has the fuel crisis affected funeral services?
The fuel crisis has led to a lack of available hearses, forcing families to use unconventional means such as tricycles and makeshift vehicles to transport the deceased.
Are there any government responses to this issue?
There have been some attempts to address the issue, such as repurposing trucks for funeral transport, but overall, the government's response has been inadequate.