ES / EN
- February 4, 2023 -
No Result
View All Result
OnCubaNews Needs You
OnCubaNews
  • World
  • Cuba
  • Cuba-USA
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Infographic
  • Culture
    • Billboard
  • Sports
  • Styles / Trends
  • Media
  • Special
  • Cuban Flavors
  • World
  • Cuba
  • Cuba-USA
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Infographic
  • Culture
    • Billboard
  • Sports
  • Styles / Trends
  • Media
  • Special
  • Cuban Flavors
OnCubaNews
ES / EN
Home Deep down

An “explosive” letter

by Avatar photo José Jasán Nieves, nieves
August 13, 2014
in Deep down
0
Agencia de autos en La Habana

Durante décadas para comprar un automóvil los cubanos necesitaron una carta firmada por el Vicepresidente de la República. Después fue suficiente la “carta” del Ministerio y hoy la limitación está en los precios / Foto: Raquel Pérez.

For years, the State sold used cars, dropped from rental agencies, through an official letter attesting that the holder had enough savings, foreign currency earned abroad.

The queues were made of thousands of people, including diplomats, artists, journalists, health collaborators and sportspeople. And some had the idea that it might be a good business selling others the right to buy a car.

That was the main reason given informally to finish overnight with the “letters” and to sell cars to unaffordable prices, when a normal Peugeot can cost up to $ 250,000.

Cuban Independence Wars General Máximo Gómez used to say that Cubans fall short or go too far and his judgment seems still valid. However, no matter how extreme the response it was true that the business of the “letters” existed and here’s an example:

Story that is not a fairy tale

Julia and Francisco had a car. But they wanted to have another.

Related Posts

Most Cubans living in villages move to the cities by these trucks, with no minimum security / Photo: Raquel Perez.

Private transport vans: If you are greedy, you will end up with nothing

December 1, 2014
Gas stations sell thousands of liters of fuel in the black market / Photo: Raquel Perez.

Underground fuel channels

December 1, 2014
Never public transportation has worked well in Cuba, not even when they had Soviet aid / Photo: Raquel Perez.

The sad story of Cuban transportation

December 1, 2014
The interprovincial tickets black market includes the employees of the terminals / Photo: Jorge Carrasco.

“Everyone has to live”

December 1, 2014

Cristóbal, a long time friend of the couple, recently had become a privileged man after being employed abroad under a contract managed by the Cuban government; he deserved a “letter”, the administrative blessing, to acquire his own means of transport.

But the promise that letter meant took long to materialize, and Christopher devised a seemingly easy way to make money and satisfy needs that never go away, even if they are not allowed.

With 4000 CUC and the stamped slip he bought the car from the ouple of friends; but a car in Cuba is always volatile, mobile, and to keep on moving Cristóbal kept alive his entrepreneurial spark and sold the “gadget” without papers, to a new partner: Vladimir.

Business rolled quiet until, on a January morning, the brakes screeched on dry tires.

Within 6 months of implementing the new prices, the dealers have sold only 50 cars and none of them brand new. If the plan was to reduce the sales, it was a success / Photo: Raquel Perez….

A new administrative blessing disqualified the prior, and bullion letters were not ever since more than any paper. Who had the right lost it, and who wanted a car, had to

Within 6 months of implementing the new prices, the dealers have sold only 50 cars and none of them brand new. If the plan was to reduce the sales, it was a success / Photo: Raquel Perez....
Within 6 months of implementing the new prices, the dealers have sold only 50 cars and none of them brand new. If the plan was to reduce the sales, it was a success / Photo: Raquel Perez….

buy it at 8 times its cost, they say to help the development of public transport.

Neither Julia nor Francisco can do it. And all the creative Cristobal was overturned.

With half-truths or outright lies, none of the four want to compromise on their respective corners: Julia and Francisco want their car back, because the deal was not to change a Hyundai for an impossible hope. Vladimir doesn’t let go either until he receives, greenback on greenback the amount he paid. And Cristobal… he does not know where to look now at since, from above, they hurt his pocket and entrepreneurship.

He thinks, though, that he was not only cheated by those who pledged would compensate him for his years of sacrifice and contributions to the national coffers with a second-hand car, but they themselves put into his hand the fuel to ignite the flame of an “incendiary” business. The arsonist may be, but he cannot light the fire if he has nothing to do it with.

¿Would these set of wrongs and conflicts appear if there was a car market without absurd provisions and reasonably priced? The question is not the focus of the problems of Julia, Francisco, Cristobal or Vladimir; but glides, like a wind-driven letter flying, over this courtroom where now all rise to receive the judge.

Authors

Avatar photo José Jasán Nieves, nieves
Tags: cartransport
Previous Post

Parcels to Cuba: martyrdom does not end

Next Post

Short stories

José Jasán Nieves

José Jasán Nieves

nieves

nieves

Next Post
Cañaveral

Short stories

Venta de autos en Cuba

Prices of cars without popular support

Restrictions affecting tens of thousands of health collaborators will now have to pay more to send something to their families from the country they are stationed / Photo: Raquel Perez.

Punishing those who give us so much

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

The conversation here is moderated according to OnCuba News discussion guidelines. Please read the Comment Policy before joining the discussion.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Read

  • The Enchanted Shrimp of the Cuban Dance

    1538 shares
    Share 615 Tweet 385
  • Western Union sets up new offices to send remittances to Cuba

    21 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • What foods can be brought to Cuba and what imports are forbidden?

    392 shares
    Share 157 Tweet 98
  • Yanis Varoufakis in Cuba: the left must recover the concept of freedom

    11 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3
  • How the U.S. Can Support Cuba’s Emerging Private Sector

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3

Most Commented

    • About us
    • Work with OnCuba
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Moderation policy for comments
    • Contact us
    • Advertisement offers

    OnCuba and the OnCuba logo are registered® trademarks of Fuego Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiaries or divisions.
    OnCuba © by Fuego Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • World
    • Cuba
    • Cuba-USA
    • Opinion
      • Columns
      • Infographic
    • Culture
      • Billboard
    • Sports
    • Styles / Trends
    • Media
    • Special
    • Cuban Flavors

    OnCuba and the OnCuba logo are registered® trademarks of Fuego Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiaries or divisions.
    OnCuba © by Fuego Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Go to mobile version