A ship carrying liquefied gas arrives in Cuba, but it will only be distributed in these provinces; the rest will have to wait.

The supply will first benefit the eastern region. The rest of the country continues to wait amid blackouts and shortages.

A ship with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived this Tuesday at the dock of the Hermanos Díaz refinery in Santiago de Cuba, according to the Cuba-Petroleum Union (Cupet). The supply will initially cover the eastern provinces of the country, leaving distribution in other regions such as Havana and Pinar del Río on hold.

Unloading has already begun, and the cylinder filling process for subsequent sale has been activated. However, sales to the public will be delayed for a few days, as authorities insist that everything will be done gradually and in an organized manner.

Official promises and deadlines

Lisset González Sardinas, director of the Territorial Fuel Marketing Division, confirmed that coverage in the eastern region will be 100% within an estimated 24 days. In Santiago de Cuba, the filling plant expects to dispatch nearly 14.000 cylinders daily, a figure that should supply points of sale in several neighboring provinces.

Once this first phase is completed, the ship will continue its route to other ports in the country to expand the supply. Official priorities also include hospitals, schools, and healthcare centers, although no date was specified for the rest of the country.

The unrest continues to grow

Meanwhile, in several areas of western Cuba, frustration is palpable. On social media, citizens report that they have been without access to gas for months and must cook with charcoal or kerosene, amid blackouts that exceed 20 hours a day.

"Since February, there have been no gas sales in my area, and coal prices are unaffordable," commented a user identified as Gladya. Selma González, for her part, expressed fear of possible fuel diversions due to corruption.

Criticisms of unequal distribution

Other users were skeptical of the promise of full coverage in less than a month. Lida reported that many people have paid for the service but have not received it due to diversions to the informal market. In Santa Cruz del Norte, Rubén Guzmán proposed digitizing the process through Transfermóvil to avoid speculation and disorganization.

From Bijarú, Félix Molina Velázquez called for equity: “Distribution should be for all of Cuba. In my house, we still cook with kerosene and charcoal, and we can't get them anymore.”