By Bill Holm
In 1959, the last American car was exported to Cuba. Then the post-revolution trade embargo made it illegal to do business with Castro’s government. Today, like Cuba’s grand but crumbling pre-revolutionary architecture, the cars remain an integral part of everyday Cubano life, thanks to the people’s resourcefulness, intelligence, and need.
This New York Times article is interesting, because it debunks the myth that Cubans have a “love affair” with our old cars. In fact, Cubans call them “cacharros” (pieces of junk). But many Cubans who can’t afford a newer car (from Russia, Europe, China, etc.) have no choice but to somehow keep those buckets of bolts running if they want transportation.
Most are heavily adapted. Andrew Cirner, who traveled with First Hand Aid in February/March, reports that this one has a Hyundai diesel motor.
All over Havana, people are under their hoods, trying to squeeze some more life out of those monsters.
Once in awhile, you see a real treasure, like this Edsel in Guines.
Many spew black plumes of exhaust. Be aware before traveling to Havana that the air quality can be really bad.
Sadly, a common alternative to an ancient Chevy or DeSoto is the notorious Russian Lada.
In the ideal world, less-polluting cars would be freely available, for people’s short- and long-term health and well-being. It’s interesting, though, with the highly complex, very computerized cars we’re driving here (sometimes, apparently, unintentionally fast), it’s the Cubans who are able to continue to do their own maintenance and keep the cars running. That’s a luxury for many of us… because we no longer have the skills and knowledge to fix our own cars, even if we want to. And I’m glad there’s an example out there to prove that cars don’t have to be “planned obsolescence,” that they can be adapted, updated, and kept out of the landfill.