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Cuba's famed "almendrones," the vintage American cars that serve as essential shared taxis, are facing an existential threat from a worsening fuel crisis gripping the island. These iconic vehicles, embodying Cuban ingenuity and endurance, are increasingly sitting idle due to fuel shortages that began in January. Cuban officials attribute these shortages to a U.S. energy blockade.

Diriel Valdez, a mechanic in Las Minas, is restoring a 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe, but finding fuel is a major challenge. He is one of thousands waiting for fuel through a government reservation app, a system that has become a symbol of the very shortages it aims to manage. Valdez, who signed up in February, is still number 2,800 in line for just 20 liters of gasoline.

The name "almendrón" comes from the Spanish word for almond, referencing the rounded shape of these large American sedans imported before Cuba's 1959 revolution. For decades, sanctions and shortages have forced Cuban mechanics to become masters of improvisation, swapping engines, rebuilding bodies, and sourcing parts from anywhere possible. Taxi driver Leonardo Daniel González, 30, shared that these cars are often passed down through generations, with his own 1948 Chevrolet Fleetmaster having belonged to his great-grandfather.

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I signed up in February ... I’m still somewhere around number 2,800.

The island is experiencing one of its most severe energy crises in years, with daily blackouts lasting up to 20 hours in some areas. Cuba produces only about 40% of its fuel, relying heavily on imports. The situation has been exacerbated since January by tightened U.S. sanctions under the Trump administration, further complicating efforts to secure fuel supplies. The island has received minimal oil shipments, with only one Russian tanker delivering fuel recently.

The fuel shortage is also impacting livelihoods like Valdez's. He learned auto-body work from his stepfather and has been repairing classic cars since he was 13. However, he notes that people are now hesitant to undertake major repairs due to the ongoing fuel scarcity.

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These cars are passed down from generation to generation.