US Fuel Ban Collapses Cuba Public Transportation System
Cuba's public transportation system has reached a record low following a United States fuel import ban that slashed bus services and freight transport.
A fuel import ban imposed by the United States in late January has caused the collapse of Cuba's public transportation system. Eduardo Rodriguez Davila, the Cuban Transportation Minister, reported that daily bus services from Havana to the provinces dropped from 419 in 2025 to just 11 in 2026. Island-wide routes fell from over 100 to 21, and passenger trips are expected to plunge 75% this year.
The crisis extends to logistics, with domestic freight transport projected to fall to 20 million tonnes, a sharp decline from 70 million tonnes in 2025. To mitigate the shortage, the Cuban government is expanding its electric vehicle fleet to 150,000 cars, bikes, and tricycles. This transition includes the installation of solar-charging stations to bypass a failing fuel-fired electrical grid and the launch of electric cargo vans by the state enterprise Transmedicalism to transport medicines in Havana.
The United States maintains that its blockade and sanctions are necessary to remove a government it describes as inept and corrupt. Conversely, the United Nations and the Cuban administration characterize these measures as illegal human rights violations.
