Cuba’s Fuel Prices Jump While Pumps Stay Dry

Cuba just doubled the price of gasoline and diesel, but good luck finding an open station. Most pumps in Havana have been shut for weeks, leaving drivers clueless about where—or when—they can actually buy fuel. The government claims the price hike reflects "real" import costs, but with no deliveries in months, the move feels more like a guess than a fix. A taxi driver in Havana summed it up: "We don’t even know where to get gas anymore. "The last big shipment—700, 000 barrels from Russia—ran out in early May. Since then, Cuba’s fuel supply has been a guessing game, with no clear plan for restocking. Officials hint that future prices could change based on supplier quirks, shipping costs, or even global market mood swings. Meanwhile, black market prices have skyrocketed to $8–$10 a liter, pricing most Cubans out of the game. Some private businesses are getting creative, importing fuel at high costs from places like the U. S. , but it’s not trickling down to everyday drivers. The United Nations has called the U. S. fuel blockade illegal, arguing it hurts Cubans’ basic rights. Yet here’s the twist: even with prices jumping, the real problem isn’t the cost—it’s the empty tanks.