On Thursday, Cuban journalist and activist Magdiel Jorge Castro described as "complete deterioration" the state of a crumbling system, in reference to an official parade held along Havana's Malecón featuring electric tricycles, motorcycles, bicycles, and scooters. This spectacle was disseminated by the regime's official accounts.
"Rarely have I witnessed anything more ridiculous than this... the Castro regime has gone from filling plazas with Fidel Castro's endless speeches to parades of electric tricycles along the Malecón," Magdiel remarked on his X account (@MagJorgeCastro).
The images, shared by the official account @PresidenciaCuba, displayed Chinese-made electric tricycles with Chinese inscriptions, scooters bearing signs reading "Down with the BLOCKADE," and Cuban flags traversing Havana's Malecón.
A Parade of "Stubborn Determination"
The official account depicted the event in triumphant terms: "The motorcycles, tricycles, bicycles, and even scooters brought by our youth today are not mere vehicles: they are rolling demonstrations that we remain steadfast."
Another official post described "a long line on wheels" heading towards La Punta, where "hundreds of pioneers and young people awaited the caravaners," characterizing the day as a fair "with joy that no dark malice can extinguish."
Comparing Past and Present
Mag's criticism directly highlights the contrast between the regime's past and present: during Fidel Castro's era, events like the First Declaration of Havana drew over a million people to the Plaza de la Revolución.
The parade occurred amid Cuba's worst transportation crisis in decades. Since February 6, 2026, Havana's urban transport system has been paralyzed due to a fuel shortage, halting all bus routes.
The Transportation Crisis and Its Impact
Venezuela ceased oil shipments to Cuba in December 2025, which had accounted for about a third of the island's energy needs, and interprovincial transport declined by 93% between January and September 2025.
As a stopgap measure, the regime has rolled out Chinese-manufactured electric tricycles: Havana has only 106 units on 13 urban routes. Mag pointed out the irony that the regime showcases these emergency vehicles as a "demonstration of steadfastness," underscoring the collapse of the transportation system.
This isn't the first time the regime has staged vehicle events amid crisis. On January 2, 2025, the government organized a "Freedom Caravan" that spanned over 1,000 kilometers from Santiago de Cuba, while in Havana, people waited up to three days at gas stations.
Magdiel Jorge Castro, a biologist by training and a Cuban activist residing in Spain after being expelled from Bolivia in 2022 by the government of Luis Arce, summed up his observations: "It is the complete deterioration of a system that is falling apart."
Understanding Cuba's Transportation Predicament
Why is Cuba facing a transportation crisis?
Cuba is experiencing a transportation crisis due to a severe fuel shortage. Venezuela, which supplied a significant portion of Cuba's oil, stopped shipments in December 2025, leading to a collapse of public transport systems.
What measures has the Cuban regime taken to address the transportation issues?
As a temporary solution, the Cuban regime has introduced Chinese-manufactured electric tricycles in Havana, deploying 106 units across 13 urban routes to mitigate the transportation crisis.