Fuel shortage begins to feel in Cuba

HAVANA (Reuters) – Cubans crowded for hours on Friday to take public transportation in Havana, while fuel stations remained congested, in a sign that diesel shortages could be starting to be felt after the sanctions of United States to the Caribbean island.

Washington announced a series of sanctions on more than 100 Cuban companies, imposed restrictions on the travel of its citizens to the island and decided the entry into force of a 1996 law that allows Cuban-Americans to sue foreign companies that use nationalized properties after the revolution of 1959.

The government of the US president, Donald Trump, blames Cuba for the support it provides to Venezuela and justifies its new restrictions by arguing that Havana is the main political support of Nicolás Maduro.

Public transport inspectors said that workers with state cars stopped to move to other Cubans, after President Miguel Díaz-Canel urged solidarity in times of crisis until the situation on the island stabilized.

Díaz-Canel, who said there will be less diesel available this month, warned on local television that hard times are coming because Washington is trying to prevent the arrival of fuel to the island with sanctions on ships and companies involved in the transfer from Venezuela to Havana, with the objective of suffocating the fragile local economy.

"The transport situation is getting ugly, even though the state maintains that it is temporary," said Alexei Pérez, 55, who dusted off an old bicycle that he had not used since Cuba's economic depression after the collapse of the Soviet Union . "I have to have it ready," he said.

The new US sanctions imposed in January on Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA have also hindered shipments to Cuba.

Transalba, the joint venture between Cuba and Venezuela to lease and operate vessels that cover the route, has had trouble finding ships willing to work with two sanctioned nations, according to sources involved in the trade.

"I waited for about three hours to take a bus and return to the house," said Eloisa Álvarez, 72, along with dozens of people at a bus stop.