Inside Cuba… Stuck in the 1950s (No Internet, No Fuel)

This is Cuba.

You can only see car headlights.

The electricity is completely out. This

is what the city looks like at night.

No gasoline.

Havana, the capital, is completely empty.

It's empty. Nobody. Only us.

Why?

It's like a ghost city.

Because of the fuel shortage, people don't use their cars.

Gas stations are empty. Universities are

closed due to the lack of fuel. There

are no garbage trucks either. For the

same reason, wealthier areas operating in dollars, while government subsidized stores for the general public are almost empty. houses on the verge of collapse

empty. houses on the verge of collapse and people living in abandoned homes.

People stand in line sometimes for an entire day just for basic necessities.

There are places run by intelligence agents or informants called CDR present in every neighborhood. How do people

live in Cuba? Today we'll visit and see The island of Cuba lies just 150 km from the US mainland. Its area is 111,000

km with a population of about 11 million.

We'll start with the fuel crisis and why it has disappeared from the country.

No gasoline, no no transport in Abana.

Now one years ago is full here of the convertible cars. So many tourists

convertible cars. So many tourists coming to this square for making pictures, making videos and this a very famous square here.

What's the name of this guy?

Ernesto Gavara de Laserna calling Leche Chabara. Yeah. People loving him is a

Chabara. Yeah. People loving him is a it's a hero hero.

Yeah.

So you guys are have a freedom.

I I don't know exactly if I have freedom or no.

What the meaning of a freedom?

It's good question. It's good question.

Cuban depends whole time to the another countries. Before Venezuela, Russia,

countries. Before Venezuela, Russia, before Russia, Vietnam, Mexico help now Cuban people a lot.

Okay.

Everything is closed in the square. It's

the more beautiful square and the more important in the old Abana, but so many places is closed because no electricity today is the problem.

Here you can see the cocoa taxi called the cocoa taxi is how the locals call it.

Horsedrawn carts have become a daily means of transportation for locals so they can move around at a low cost.

No taxes, no cars.

The irony is that importing new cars is extremely difficult due to a mix of sanctions, taxes, and high custom duties. While the average salary here

duties. While the average salary here can be less than $50 a month, the situation on the street is shocking.

My friend don't come because no gasoline and uh now change the taxi driver. The

prices is uh higher now because uh it's difficult to find the gasoline in cheap price now and it's more expensive. Bro,

it's almost empty. Nobody burn. Where is

the people?

Electricity coming 5 in the morning but 7:00 lost again.

Even now in 2026, power outages happen daily.

Look, these might be the only tourists here.

As you can see, there's a pot dealer and it's empty. There's no cars to sell.

it's empty. There's no cars to sell.

Completely empty.

You see, they close it.

There's no fuel. It's simple. There's no

fuel. Now, Venezuela is not sending any fuel. Mexico is not sending fuel. And as

fuel. Mexico is not sending fuel. And as

now, they are blocked. You see, this is the result. The gas stations are empty.

the result. The gas stations are empty.

There are two types of gas stations.

Government ones and others where you pay in dollars.

Most gas stations in Cuba are governmentr run and many are empty today or you have to reserve your turn through an app and wait weeks sometimes months.

In Cuba they have an app which is to call ticket. Here you're going to see

call ticket. Here you're going to see the salad desper the waiting list. He's

been waiting for 3 months already and from the 14,620 people waiting he is in the number 295.

So he go to black market. Yeah, for of course you cannot wait for uh two months for only 20 liters. That's it's

incredible. No, it's really really impossible to to believe it.

At the same time, there are other stations that sell in dollars more quickly but at much higher prices.

There's also a black market selling smuggled fuel.

Never light here. Never light. Never

light. Night has fallen in Havana. There

are no lights.

It's getting dark, brother. What we

going to do?

Every day like this every day in this in this area. No

electricity.

Ah, there's one light there.

Yeah. No, but it's only one light in maybe some balcon.

So, some people they have generator.

Yeah, some people have generator. But uh

in this area a lot of people don't have a money for bike generator because it's expensive in my country.

Hola.

He has light in the head.

Notori at sunset. Cuba seems to enter a

at sunset. Cuba seems to enter a different world. Electricity can vanish

different world. Electricity can vanish suddenly, leaving entire neighborhoods in darkness.

This is the reality of a country with 11 million people. Imagine.

million people. Imagine.

Yeah.

Hey bro, we just got uh some information that we have uh a national blackout again. It's because as there's no fuel

again. It's because as there's no fuel coming to the country, they cannot generate electricity.

And what is the line behind that? What's

happening?

This is because there's a bakery.

Yeah, they are fighting because somebody just came in the line first for tomorrow breakfast.

It's now 700 p.m.

The entire country is in darkness.

How many waiting?

3 hours. 3 hours.

3 hours to buy bread.

Unbelievable.

That one has light. The shop has a generator.

Hola.

Our hotel is the only lit building.

Spain ruled Cuba for four centuries before the United States expelled it.

and Cuba came under American influence in 1902.

For the years during which America has replaced Spain in its protectors role, but in 1959 everything changed.

Fidel Castro led a revolution and overthrew the USbacked regime.

The United States responded quickly. It

cut ties and imposed an economic embargo that continues to this day. Cuba then

chose a different path, turning toward the Soviet Union.

President Castro had the red carpet treatment all the way to the Red Square.

3 years later, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war.

The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear strike capability against the Western Hemisphere. Because the Soviet Union had

Hemisphere. Because the Soviet Union had placed nuclear missiles on the island, the US threatened nuclear war, forcing the Soviets to withdraw the missiles while America pledged not to invade the

island.

Cuba and its revolutionaries became icons and sources of inspiration for many anti-colonial movements in Africa

and Latin America through figures like Chevara Castro and Jose Marti.

Since then, Cuba has been largely cut off from the world. A limited economy, difficult imports, and technology that has lagged behind for decades.

Apple store is not available in this region.

But in 2026, Cuba returned to the spotlight.

Cuba is a mess. It's a failing country.

And they're going to be when the United States decided to reset what it considers part of its backyard.

Oil supplies to Cuba were cut and a new blockade led to widespread power outages. The electricity just went out

outages. The electricity just went out on us suddenly. This is a crisis hitting every home in Cuba. Such a strange country. Today, the US is once again

country. Today, the US is once again applying pressure and threatening to change the regime or make a deal to restore its dominance over the island.

Cuba now stands at a historic crossroads. Ongoing economic collapse or

crossroads. Ongoing economic collapse or a dramatic transformation that could end decades of conflict. Look at the streets. They're empty. Some people are

streets. They're empty. Some people are leaving and others unable to come. The

question that history will ask, will Cuba remain a relic of the Cold War? Or

are we witnessing the final moments of this chapter? Today, we'll tell the

this chapter? Today, we'll tell the story of a people's struggle.

Okay. She normally use electricity for cooking but uh they normally try to do that in the morning. So she says fortunately I was able to cook in the morning. So now everything is ready.

morning. So now everything is ready.

What's the issue with water here?

Because someone told us there's no water in old Havana.

The same goes for water. It comes every 15, 18s or 21 days.

So how did you manage it? Where do they get water for cooking and washing? We

have many water tanks to store the water.

He use wood. There's no electricity.

There's no gas. So the only way for them to prepare food is this way. It's the

only way.

Bro, they say also they run out of toilet paper. There's no toilet paper.

toilet paper. There's no toilet paper.

No.

There's a little now, but before it was very difficult.

So people using like newspaper?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Really?

Newspaper, newspaper, books. uh

everything.

This young woman, her university is closed due to the fuel shortage.

My name is Natalie. I study architecture here in Cuba. So, I belong to Kuhai.

It's a very famous university here in Cuba, but it's currently closed.

This is my university. Now it's empty because we are with the diff difficult situation. Uh we are uh starting now

situation. Uh we are uh starting now online.

Sorry. You happy or no?

Yeah. No. With my career?

Yeah.

No.

Right now I'm not happy. Of course not.

Cuba has one of the highest numbers of doctors. Yet even hospitals today suffer

doctors. Yet even hospitals today suffer from fuel shortages and power outages.

All this smoke is because people burn their garbage in the streets. There

are no garbage trucks to collect it.

The president of the country say put a fire.

JPT doesn't work here neither and many other apps. Deepseek Chinese app is

other apps. Deepseek Chinese app is working.

Yeah.

App store is not available in this region.

Rosa, sorry.

Rosa, Rosa, are you happy living here?

Are you Are you happy? Are you happy living here?

Was a question you asked.

You You seem happy.

No.

You think so?

I say you aren't happy. Do your

neighbors, your friends want to leave Cuba?

Almost all of them.

In Cuba, the government provides most services.

The government provide them free healthcare, free education, social security for disabled people. Uh to the single mothers, to the children,

but it also pays the salaries. The

government gives uh salaries, wages to the doctors, to the teachers.

Yes. Yes. Everyone has their salary. But

it's very low.

But it's very low.

A teacher's salary is around 5,000 pesos in national currency.

Salaries are paid by the government. How

much? A teacher? $10. A doctor $10. A

taxi driver earns $10.

Here is a very large bank so that people can withdraw cash, withdraw their money from the bank.

Many ATMs in the city don't have cash to give uh to the population.

The government uh give only a day 5,000 pesos only limited.

Yeah, we're limited.

And look at how many people they're coming for $10. The banks looks good.

Yeah, it's beautiful uh building, but there's no money inside.

What?

Let's go to the supermarket and see what a citizen can buy with $10 a month.

These are ration cards distributed by the government to cover basic needs.

But in reality, stores are often nearly empty.

Um this is the food ration book.

This is from the government.

Yes. All houses in Cuba have a ration book.

Meaning the government supplies them with provisions.

Food rice beans sugar.

Everyone in Kuba, they have this.

Yeah, that's this.

People are given lists of essentials like rice, sugar, and oil. Monthly

allocations. For example, in November and December, they record what you took.

You signed for it. rice, beans,

oil sugar.

Sugar, black sugar and white sugar.

Okay. Yeah, that's luxury.

Two wines. Two two kind of salt, coffee.

But you don't find the so many. Yeah, it's a difficult

so many. Yeah, it's a difficult situation in my country right now. But

the government help whole families with this one.

With this one. He's a bakery.

Yeah.

So, you want to grab some or you finish your your bread?

These are government ration stores.

Look at the shampoo.

As if it were a golden commodity. And

here is toilet paper.

I look here because this is this uh shop is from the government empty.

On the other side there are stores that sell in dollars.

So this market is for rich. is mostly

for high middle class and rich people because not everyone has uh access to the dollars. So this is the place where

the dollars. So this is the place where the rich people come.

Now look at the difference between the government supermarket and this one.

Each serves a completely different reality.

All these prices are in dollars. Look,

there are no American products at all.

Not even Coca-Cola.

This one is made in Venezuela, made in Vietnam.

This one is made in Spain from Brazil.

I never buy nothing in this markets. I

know another market in local pesos more cheaper.

How many salary you need?

Never with the Cuban salary I can buy anything here. I need uh some the family

anything here. I need uh some the family or friends another country send me some money in dollar or in euro and coming here I buy it.

What is the average salary here?

10 $12 a month. Yeah.

So how people live here man? How do how do you feel?

Black market.

This is the black market in Cuba.

People come from all over the country to this market, the black market.

You'll find a huge amount of goods that slipped in illegally.

Because the internet is weak, instead of opening YouTube, you go to a shop and buy videos already loaded onto a flash drive. He download movies for people.

drive. He download movies for people.

So he's in charge of copying everything onto the flash drive that people bring the movies and so on. We hardly ever use

the internet. We've been doing this for

the internet. We've been doing this for a while.

Even the movies shown in cinemas aren't new.

A film from the '9s is shown as if it just came out. Today for example at 5:00 they have Pocahontas. If you don't have more than uh nine people no movie today.

Wow.

No movie today. It's block out the light is leave to the electricity is finish.

No movie.

No movie. But the problem is sometimes you stay in the you wait. Yeah. You wait

you wait. Yeah. You wait

watching while watching 20. Yeah. Watching 20 minutes is

20. Yeah. Watching 20 minutes is electricity leave. It's finished. It's

electricity leave. It's finished. It's

finished.

Okay. Okay. He He's saying that there is no refund. Sometimes you are in the

no refund. Sometimes you are in the middle of the movie and suddenly it cut off.

Yeah. Cut off light.

So what the name of this cinema?

La rampa.

How old the movie is?

Pocahontas is a movie from I think the 20 years ago.

Okay.

Do not be fooled by these stunning classic cars. People have no other

classic cars. People have no other choice. Time stood still here. More than

choice. Time stood still here. More than

60% of cars in Cuba date back to the 50s and 60s and they're still running today.

But how how old this car is?

This is from the 1951.

And how he bring like spares.

Sometimes they import the the part of the car uh or sometimes they have to do it by themselves or they have somebody who knows how to make it. They have like

local factories where they make it big time.

Look, some people live in abandoned houses.

Families, they just come to houses that has been abounded. The owner of the house is not living in Cuba anymore. So

then the pure the poor families, they move to these places. They want to stay here because it's is in a very centric area, very close to everything. Uh some

years ago collapsed.

you school.

So cute.

Yes, but we have to pay a fee because water isn't free here. Where do they get the water from? From a tanker. A tanker.

He says in the whole country, in the whole Cuba, they have problems with the water supplies.

What? What's the reason?

Why? What's going on?

There is no oil.

There is no oil to pump the water.

It's about to fall down.

What will happen if this comes out? If

it moves, will it fall?

No, this is not going to fall. Be

careful. Be careful.

This could collapse in any moment.

She says, "This is my hometown. This is

my place and I want to stay here."

The people here live before in old building in old Abana and the the building collapsed and uh the government put in this place 14 families the government put in this place in gym

now only in the gym.

This house?

Yeah.

Like this?

Wow. This bed.

Look, they're living in a garage.

14 families have been brought here.

Your neighbors sisters.

Ah, your sister here. She live in another home. Another

another home. Another Okay. This her sister house.

Okay. This her sister house.

This one, this one, this one, and this one. A homes inside a gym.

one. A homes inside a gym.

This is the house they used to live in.

Then it collapsed.

So, they were moved to the gym. I asked

why it wasn't repaired. They said they don't have the equipment. Now we have more than 20 families living in this place.

This place smells of cocaine and oil.

So this is your store.

Yeah.

And no electricity.

I don't have electricity.

This is the best gym in Kuba.

Despite the lack of resources, they still go to the gym. No excuses. This is

resilience here in Havana, the capital.

This is the embassy district in Havana.

You'll notice the largest embassy here is the Russian embassy. See that massive multi-story building? It takes up a huge

multi-story building? It takes up a huge part of the city. This entire complex is the Russian embassy.

Look, these billboards are almost everywhere in the city.

As you can see here, we have a sign where making fun of the system is making fun of America doesn't want to support this country. That's why it says tumbal,

this country. That's why it says tumbal, which means this the America block.

So here it says, hey, don't use this American toilet paper. So it says no no strings for your guitar because you are playing terrorist music.

In Cuba there are no surveillance cameras but society itself does the watching. There's something here called

watching. There's something here called CDR. In Cuba, this system exists in almost every neighborhood. The Committees for

every neighborhood. The Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. What does

CDR stand for?

CDR stands for the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution. It's the

organization that unites the people. On

every street, on every block, there's a community response for keeping watch for safeguarding the uh party, communism, and everything here on the island.

So, are they doing good job?

They were back then. Now, it's a thing of the past. People are more focused uh on trying to meet their daily needs.

There's hardly any time to keep an eye on anyone anymore.

And this is how you exchange currency on the black market. The rate is 10 times higher than at official exchange points.

Thank you, man.

This man announces the news in the streets every day. He's like a walking TV.

Do you think the Americans uh Trump could take over Cuba?

I don't think so.

She doesn't believe it.

60 years and still nothing.

It's been 60 years and nothing has happened.

The question now is, will Cuba remain stuck in the past, or are we about to witness the beginning of the end of this chapter?

The meal.

Thank you.