Supermarket23 Runs Out of Gas Canisters, Sparking Online Frenzy Among Cubans

The liquefied gas canisters that Supermarket23 offered for $29 until Wednesday vanished from its platform within hours, igniting a storm of sarcastic and outraged comments among Cubans trying to purchase them.

The burning question circulating online, as one Facebook user succinctly put it, is: "Did they sell out completely, or were they ordered to remove them?"

Theories abound, each one critical of the regime. Some Cubans suggest a political decision was behind it: "It was an order from above," one commenter noted with irony.

Others speculate it was a strategic market test: "This was surely a trial to gauge acceptance. They're out, but they'll be back," predicted another.

"They probably ran out of supply until they can restock because it's a lucrative business and a necessity for Cubans," a user remarked.

Some directly blame resellers: "Now go look on social media, the resellers have them all. Good luck with that," said another.

Users report that on the informal market, these canisters are already being offered at 45,000 Cuban pesos, far exceeding the price on the Supermarket23 and Katapulk platforms, where the product still seems available.

The most critical voices highlight a familiar pattern: "Once again, they dangle bait, and we bite. They sold out and pocketed the money. My question is, do they know a canister lasts only a couple of months and doesn't refill itself? Families will be the same or worse off in two months."

Another comment drew parallels with gasoline sales in dollars: "It was the same with gas, and now it's through an app where the waitlist never ends due to the number of people buying it. The gas canister business will be just the same."

One person pointed out, "In this country, we criticize Americans, yet we're surviving thanks to them. Which blockade is worse, the external one or the one we have inside? No words."

This episode highlights a chronic crisis in the state's liquefied gas supply that the Cuban regime has failed to resolve.

In January, the tanker Emilia returned empty from Jamaica due to the Cuban state's inability to pay, leaving over 109,000 households in Matanzas without regular supply since October 2024.

Last July, Cuba halted the sale of liquefied gas nationwide while awaiting the next shipment, and previously, a ship remained anchored for nearly four months unable to unload due to lack of payment.

To fill this gap, the regime has allowed private microenterprises to import fuel from the United States under special licenses granted by the U.S. government.

Platforms like Supermarket23 and Katapulk began selling the canisters at $29—equivalent to about 15,660 Cuban pesos at the informal exchange rate—an unattainable price for most workers and retirees who earn salaries in local currency.

The outrage on social media is straightforward: "It's disgraceful that they don't give it to the people because supposedly there's none, and then, as if nothing happened, they sell it in dollars."

With the inventory seemingly depleted and no confirmed restock date, the lingering question is whether the platform will offer the product again—and at what price—or if this episode will become another chapter in the accelerated dollarization of essential services in Cuba.