The Cuban Ministry of Transport acknowledged on Monday that the ticket distribution system implemented in June contributed to fostering corruption and misconduct in the allocation of the limited available seats.
This admission, released in a statement on the Ministry's social media, marks an official acknowledgment of the irregularities that plagued the system introduced amidst the severe fuel and transportation crisis on the island.
Background of the Ticket Allocation System
The controversial system was put into place on June 18, when the Ministry drastically cut national services due to fuel shortages. Trains were reduced to one departure every 16 days to Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Bayamo-Manzanillo. Meanwhile, National Buses operated only three times a week from Havana to provincial capitals.
Concurrently, the usual ticket sales through Viajero agencies and the Viajando app were suspended. The few available seats were then distributed by provincial groups or commissions tasked with prioritizing critical cases.
Corruption and Unused Capacity
Less than two months later, the Ministry admitted this mechanism fostered conditions ripe for corruption and other irregularities. Additionally, the statement unveiled another issue: despite the scarcity of tickets and high demand, some capacities went unused.
The Ministry attributed this to service reductions, poor reservation management in certain areas, irregularity in capacity allocation, and passenger dissatisfaction. The problem was notably pronounced in national trains and the maritime service to the Isle of Youth.
Lack of Transparency and Public Complaints
However, the Ministry's statement fell short of detailing the extent of the "corruption and misconduct" it referenced. It did not specify the provinces where these issues occurred, nor did it mention any officials under investigation or sanctioned, leaving the acknowledgment of corruption devoid of names or public accountability.
Public complaints had surfaced well before this official acknowledgment. By late July, Cubans publicly reported ticket scalping for as much as 20,000 Cuban pesos and criticized the lack of transparency in the ticket allocation process.
Earlier reports from passengers in Cienfuegos alleged that Viazul employees charged an extra 10,000 pesos from travelers who already had valid tickets.
Measures to Rectify the Situation
The Ministry's admission coincides with a partial revision of the system implemented in June. The statement announced that ticket sales would return to the Viajero agency offices in all municipalities where they exist.
Provincial groups will continue to manage a small number of seats for critical cases. Another change reduces the booking window to three days in advance for all services, a measure justified by ongoing uncertainties surrounding fuel supplies.
The changes come amid one of the most critical transportation situations in Cuba in recent years. Since the June 18 cutbacks, securing a seat on a train or interprovincial bus has become a race for thousands needing to travel between provinces.
The combination of extremely limited supply and a discretionary system for deciding access to the scarce seats created a scenario that, the Ministry now admits, fostered irregularities.
Starting Wednesday, August 12, Viajero agencies will begin selling tickets for trips scheduled from the 15th. The Viajando app, however, will remain offline during technical maintenance. The Ministry has not specified how long the app will be out of service or when users can resume purchasing tickets via the platform.
The return to agency-based ticket sales marks a shift less than two months after the exceptional system's introduction, as authorities acknowledge conditions that favored corruption but still fail to clarify who benefited from the irregularities or what consequences await those responsible.
FAQs on Cuban Transport System Changes
What changes has the Cuban Ministry of Transport announced?
The Ministry announced that ticket sales would return to Viajero agency offices in municipalities where they exist and adjusted the booking window to three days in advance for all services.
Why was the ticket allocation system criticized?
The system was criticized for fostering conditions conducive to corruption and misconduct in ticket allocation, along with issues such as unused capacities despite high demand.
How did the public respond to the ticket allocation issues?
Before the Ministry's official acknowledgment, the public had already raised complaints about ticket scalping and lack of transparency in the allocation process.