In a striking reflection of Cuba's ongoing fuel crisis, a video surfaced this week on Facebook showing a Cuban citizen pouring vegetable oil—presumably from the brand Misol, typically used in cooking—directly into the gas tank of his classic car, also known as an "almendrón," as a makeshift solution to the island's severe shortage of gasoline and diesel.
The video, shared by user Bryan Anniel Prado Diaz, has garnered over 42,000 views on the platform. In the footage, a voice can be heard sarcastically remarking, "Let's see how Cubans fry plantains now," highlighting the irony of using cooking oil to power vehicles instead of preparing food.
With gasoline prices on the black market reaching up to 4,000 Cuban pesos per liter in February and diesel ranging between 1,500 and 3,000 pesos, many Cubans are turning to alternatives. Vegetable oil, priced around 1,500 pesos per liter on the informal market, is relatively more accessible or, at the very least, easier to obtain, making it a desperate but necessary substitute.
Innovative Solutions Amid Scarcity
On May 6, some Cubans resorted to pouring oil into a tractor engine due to the diesel shortage. Farmer Juan José Martínez Serrat even modified his tractor to run on used cooking oil, and another resourceful Cuban managed to operate his car using charcoal through gasification.
Understanding Cuba's Fuel Crisis
Why are Cubans using cooking oil as fuel?
Due to a severe shortage of gasoline and diesel, many Cubans are using cooking oil as an alternative fuel. It is more accessible and affordable in the black market, making it a viable, though desperate, substitute.
How much does cooking oil cost in Cuba's informal market?
In the informal market, a liter of vegetable oil is priced around 1,500 Cuban pesos, which is relatively cheaper compared to the soaring prices of gasoline and diesel.
What other innovative methods are Cubans using to cope with the fuel shortage?
Apart from using cooking oil, some Cubans have been adapting their tractors to run on used cooking oil, and others have experimented with charcoal gasification to operate vehicles.