[REVISION HISTORY]

Cuba cooking oil and fuel crisis deepens

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-12 01:36 UTC → 2026-08-23 18:19 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Cuba ~~fuel and~~ cooking oil and fuel crisis deepens

The economic crisis in Cuba has intensified as cooking oil prices have surged following the government’s decision to lift retail price caps on imported goods via Resolution 150/2026. Previously controlled at 990 pesos, the price for a liter of oil has climbed to between 4,000 and 5,000 pesos in some regions. The government stated that prior price controls failed to curb inflation and caused goods to disappear from shelves and move to the black market. In response, some municipalities, including Moa and Banes in Holguín, have attempted to reintroduce local price controls. This price volatility has transformed cooking oil into a luxury commodity. Social media users and comedians have used satire to cope, with some referring to the substance as “liquid gold” or treating bottles as high-fashion accessories. Comedian Otto Ortiz noted that the scarcity has turned oil into a status symbol, joking that there are “more practical ways to show you’re doing well” than using oil to display wealth. Simultaneously, fuel shortages remain critical. National fuel reserves were previously reported as depleted by Energy and Mines Minister Vicente de la O Levy, following halted shipments from Venezuela and reduced supplies from Mexico. Travelers have reported extreme scarcity, including instances of rental cars arriving with nearly empty tanks, forcing consumers to pay high premiums for minimal gasoline. Recent developments ~~in Havana~~ highlight ~~the~~ growing desperation ~~caused by these price gaps. At a Supermix state-run store,~~ and instability. In Havana, crowds have gathered at state-run stores like Supermix to purchase ~~sunflower oil at a~~ subsidized rate of approximately 1,600 pesos per liter—significantly lower than the informal market rate, which has reached as high as 6,000 pesos. The sale, which saw all stock exhausted within two hours, was marked by sunflower oil, often resulting in tension and ~~shouting, prompting workers to limit purchases to five bottles per person to prevent scalping.~~ shouting. In provinces such as Sancti Spíritus and Holguín, scarcity has triggered physical altercations and required police intervention at retail establishments.

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