Cuba's Rationing System Collapses — Basic Goods Only Available in US Dollars

An economic analysis documented the full scale of the crisis wrought by the US oil blockade on Cuba's domestic economy. Black-market petrol prices surged from roughly $1/litre to $10 or more, making transportation unaffordable. Container trucking costs jumped from $100–150 to $600+, forcing private food importers to suspend operations. Government ration books (libretas) were providing diminishing supplies, and basic goods — including food and medicine — were increasingly available only through hard-currency dollar stores out of reach of most Cuban wage earners. Private food importers were shutting down as 15+ hour daily blackouts made refrigeration impossible. Business consultants projected private sector revenues would fall 50–60%. Cuba's roughly 10,000 registered private enterprises, which generate approximately 15% of GDP and 31% of employment, were described as facing existential crisis.