• Crisis. Cuba looks at the economic abyss

Cuba is facing a fuel shortage crisis, which already affects the circulation of private cars, especially public transport, and which will surely reduce the generation of electricity on the island that, said its president Miguel Díaz-Canel, is not close to go through the nightmare of the special period of the 90s again.

In the Palace of the Revolution, Díaz-Canel met yesterday with the Council of Ministers to discuss what measures will be taken to deal with the crisis. And although he has not given more detail, the president indicated that "saving measures" will come, probably new seasons of fuel and electricity rationing to overcome the shortage.

Díaz-Canel, in a live program on state television, accused the United States of preventing the arrival of ships from Venezuela with threats of sanctions on ships and companies that transport fuel to Havana.

The arrival of diesel was interrupted last Tuesday, but the supply is expected to resume on the 14th of this month. The distribution of several basic goods has already been affected on the island by the shortage of diesel fuel.

"We are not in a special period , " Díaz-Canel reiterated, but warned that "tense situations can occur," said Gramma, the official media of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

The president explained that it is a "situation" that will force Cubans to be "tight a few days" , and urged officials and the population to be aware and take energy saving measures.

Díaz-Canel said he has a plan to deal with the crisis, but did not give more detail. And, surprise, not only the United States is the enemy, because the Cuban leader also denounced the theft or hoarding of fuels and related goods.

"Due to the aggressiveness of the measures of the empire, it was not achieved in these days that the mechanism of arrival of ships to the country allowed a continuity of supply, which is a temporary situation," said the Cuban president. He clarified that, although it is a juncture, it can probably be repeated.

Díaz-Canel accused the Donald Trump administration of having a "genocidal plan" to reduce the "quality of life and progress" of the island, with the ultimate goal of generating a "social outbreak."

The president said that Cuba autonomously produces 40% of its oil needs, and that this covers the demand for electricity.

"We will have a blackout information plan , if any, and it would never be as intense as in the special period," he added.

The fuel crisis has made Cubans have to wait hours for public transport last week, and has also affected food distribution.

For several days, several gas stations in Havana have been out of service and in others, although they remain open, they have no diesel. In suppliers that still offer fuel it is normal to see long lines of vehicles.

Mobility has been considerably complicated in Havana: people must walk to get to their destinations, while they see crowded buses passing, as several routes have had to be suspended to meet the priority.

PDVSA, the Venezuelan state oil company that in turn is the main supplier of crude oil in Havana, was sanctioned in January by the White House, freezing its accounts and assets and preventing companies or US citizens from buying crude oil. Washington also threatened companies that do business with PDVSA with sanctions, which has significantly affected its export of crude, including that which goes to Cuba.

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