Liquefied-gas cylinder rises to $89 on the Isle of Youth

The price of a liquefied-gas cylinder intended for Isle of Youth families increased from $50 to $89 at the Micro 70 and La Fe sales points. The rise adds $39 per unit, a 78 percent increase over the previous amount. The purchases are arranged from abroad so relatives can receive fuel in the territory.

The buyer was identified on Facebook as Mae Mae. She questioned the increase and called it a complete lack of respect for the Cuban people and unjustifiable abuse. Her complaint focuses on the cost to households receiving gas through purchases paid from outside the country, a channel different from the official national-currency price.

In July, the Ministry of Finance and Prices set an official price of 350 Cuban pesos for a 10-kilogram cylinder. That rate is in national currency, while the reported $89 concerns sales points receiving purchases from abroad. They are different references and show prices expressed in different currencies under different purchase methods.

Liquefied-gas shortages have created room for a dollar-based purchase market without effective regulation while the official price remains in Cuban pesos. The new amount increases costs for people abroad paying for relatives in Cuba. The rise joins difficulties in accessing cooking fuel.

Mae Mae expressed frustration that consumer complaints appear unanswered. Her criticism concerns a supply reaching families through purchases from abroad amid broader access problems. The $39 increase changes the expense while the official Cuban-peso price for the 10-kilogram cylinder remains in effect.