New Cuban Reform Allows Commercial Trade of Post 1959 Vehicles

If you’ve ever wanted to see a time warp of classic cars, Cuba is the place to go. With the U.S. Embargo still in place, the island country has held onto their classic cars for generations, especially with laws in place limiting citizens in the way of allowing only pre-60s vehicles to trade hands in the commercial market. But, according to Autoblog, that reality just shifted with a reform put in place to allow citizens to buy and sell cars manufactured after the 1959 cut-off.

Previously, in order to buy or sell a car made after 1959, Cuban citizens had to be given special permission by the government. This limited commercial transactions to individuals that were particularly well-connected. With one of Raul Castro’s recent reforms sent to and approved at the annual Communist party congress, that no longer remains the case. Now, citizens are free to buy and sell cars that were previously restricted, giving manufacturers like Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Lada and Isuzu a substantial place in the market.

While things may seem like they’re looking up for individuals interested in owning a post-59 vehicle, the new reform doesn’t come close to touching even a portion of the regulations inflicted on the automotive market in Cuba. Thanks in part to the continuation of the U.S. Embargo, there are still limitations on importing and exporting vehicles. Cuba also still maintains regulations on vehicle ownership.

While the new reform may not mean much to Americans looking to cash in on the hundreds of classics that roam the streets of Cuba, it is a step in the right direction for Cuban citizens. With Castro sending several hundred reforms to the Communist party congress, we can only hope to see more improvements in the near future when it comes to the much out-dated regulations on the Cuban automotive market.