The Cuban government has canceled the traditional May Day parade in Havana due to fuel shortages, marking the first time since the 1959 revolution that the celebration has been canceled for economic reasons.
Previously, parades were canceled only in 2020 and 2021 due to the corona virus pandemic.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of people come by bus from all over the island to Havana’s Revolution Square on International Labor Day, the BBC reports.
In recent weeks, long queues have formed at gas stations, and drivers often wait for days for fuel.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said earlier that Cuba is getting only two-thirds of the fuel it needs, adding that suppliers are not fulfilling their contractual obligations.
Cuba has access to low-grade crude oil, but the US-sanctioned island lacks refining facilities.
Deliveries of higher-quality crude oil from Venezuela, Cuba’s largest fuel supplier, have fallen by 50 percent in recent years.
The Spanish “El pais” writes that the monthly salary in Cuba is between 150 and 200 dollars, while a liter of cooking oil costs 30 dollars.
The Cuban government insists that its socialist model is the best for the country and blames long-standing US sanctions for the problems.
(Srna)