The Cuban regime has announced that the distribution of liquefied gas in the eastern region will resume this Friday, following the docking of a tanker on Thursday at the international pier of the Hermanos Díaz Refinery in Santiago de Cuba. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the unloading of the fuel commenced immediately, with distribution set to begin on Friday.
"Today, the partial offloading of the ship began in Santiago De Cuba and will continue towards the west. Tomorrow, distribution in the eastern part of the country will start," stated the ministry in a post on X.
This shipment arrives amidst a severe shortage of LPG, a crucial resource for cooking in Cuban households, especially as frequent blackouts prevent the use of electric appliances introduced during Fidel Castro's so-called energy revolution. In recent weeks, residents have endured long lines and mounting tensions due to the scarcity of this vital resource, exacerbated by widespread and prolonged power outages.
Manuel Falcón, the governor of Santiago de Cuba, had previously urged calm, promising a gradual resolution for the 271,000 customers in the province. However, his statements have stirred dissatisfaction among segments of the population, who describe their daily hardships as "unsustainable."
Adapting to Alternative Cooking Methods
Amidst the shortages of LPG and interruptions in electricity supply, many families have resorted to using alternative cooking methods, such as wood or charcoal stoves. This shift has led to a resurgence in the sale of charcoal stoves on social media platforms.
These challenges echo the struggles of the "Special Period" in the 1990s, now worsened by the current economic situation. In the face of this crisis, the Cuban government is also under scrutiny for delays in fuel unloading, attributed to financial difficulties in meeting payments to international suppliers. These issues have only allowed for partial deliveries, indicating a temporary fix.