Gas Shortage Fuels Black Market Boom in Sancti Spíritus

In Sancti Spíritus, more than 37,000 liquefied gas customers have been left without supply since October 2025, creating a gap that the black market has eagerly filled with 10-kilogram cylinders selling for as much as 70,000 Cuban pesos.

This alarming situation was brought to light by journalist Elsa Ramos Ramírez in an article published by Radio Sancti Spíritus, where she criticized both the scarcity of resources and the silence of the authorities.

Since last October, there has been no liquefied gas sold at any of the city’s eight distribution points.

Over 37,000 customers with open contracts have been affected, along with another 10,000 relying on a "door-to-door reserve delivery" system, who typically receive the product twice a year.

The High Price of Necessity

Amidst this supply void, the fuel has surfaced in the informal market at exorbitant prices. Ramos reported that these cylinders have been priced at an outrageous 70,000 pesos, with the authorities turning a blind eye both on the streets and across social media platforms.

An event in the Colón neighborhood highlighted the chaos. An impromptu stand offered cylinders for 28,000 pesos: 14,000 upfront and another 14,000 upon delivery. This raised suspicions due to the transaction being recorded on official cards issued by the local Fuel Commercialization Company.

Residents began to speculate whether any state entity was involved in this scheme, Ramos noted.

Authorities’ Silence Raises Questions

The journalist sought explanations from official sources but was met with silence. Days later, she discovered that the sale was deemed illegal and that the site did not meet the technical or safety standards for selling liquefied gas.

Alberto Milián, director of the Fuel Commercialization Company in Sancti Spíritus, denied any association with the operation, yet admitted he lacked information to address customer inquiries.

Ramos recounted her unsuccessful attempts to interview him amid dropped calls and unreachable phones at the company's command post.

Regulatory Confusion and National Implications

The situation was further muddled by new national fuel pricing regulations. The Ministry of Finance and Prices’ Resolution 155/2026, published on July 16 in the Official Gazette, set an unsubsidized retail price of 35 pesos per kilogram of liquefied gas.

This translates to 350 pesos for a 10-kilogram cylinder. However, the new pricing is of little relevance to Sancti Spíritus customers while the product remains unavailable at state-run outlets, as noted by the state journalist.

Ramos posed several unanswered questions: "Where is the advertised gas? Why is it being sold at such high prices in various locations? Has the liquefied gas company gone private? How will I now obtain the gas I've had access to for over 60 years? What happened to the value of contracts with customers? Will cylinder gas be sold in CUP or USD?"

"The lack of explanations and evasions from sources do nothing to fill the gas cylinders, which no one knows when they'll arrive. They only fuel misinformation, uncertainty, and speculation," concluded the journalist.

Private Sector Options and Persistent Crisis

Meanwhile, platforms like Supermarket23 and Katapulk are selling 10-kilogram cylinders for $29, while KMCERO offers them for $24. These services are primarily available in Havana, with no clarity on if they will extend to Sancti Spíritus.

Even if the service reaches this province, accessibility would remain an issue. In June, cylinders bought for $24 through KMCERO were resold for $50 on the black market.

The crisis is not new to the region. In 2025, distribution resumed after a 54-day interruption, albeit limited and contingent on product availability.

On a national scale, around 834,000 of the 1.7 million liquefied gas customers were unable to purchase it through the state network in April's distribution, highlighting the depth of the shortage.