| HAVANA, CUBA- Cuba is a world of its own often | | | | Military Cars in Cuba |
| compared with a walk into a time machine. | | | | The powerful Military vehicles have mint-green with |
| An interesting example of this is that unbeknown to | | | | no front and only rear plates. Olive-green plates are |
| the rest of the world, Cuba even has its own unique | | | | for vehicles of the Ministry of the Interior, including El |
| system of branding your license plate to quickly | | | | Comendante, Fidel Castro's fleet of armored black |
| identify to the world who you are and what rights | | | | Mercedes 280s, which were built in the early 80's. |
| you have and don't have in Cuba. | | | | The most valuable seem to be the black plates |
| The spectrum of color coordinated license plates and | | | | are for reserved exclusively for foreign diplomats |
| special codes tell the ever watching eye of authority | | | | who don't have to adhere to traffic laws. |
| how important you are in the Cuban political and | | | | White plated cars of Cuban government ministers or |
| Economic system, your nationality, where you work | | | | heads of state organizations also drive as if they |
| and your rank. | | | | have diplomatic immunity but with reserved caution in |
| In short your Cuban license plate say it all as you | | | | case they are in danger of being replaced. |
| drive in posh 5th avenue or along the seaside | | | | Diplomatic Cars in Cuba |
| Malecon. | | | | Ironically its the last 3 numbers on diplomatic plates |
| Cuba's system of colored license plates was copied | | | | that show the professional rank of the driver. If |
| directly from the KGB in former Soviet Union. This | | | | you're behind a Mercedes with black license plate |
| coding system is yet another way Cuban authorities | | | | 179-002, that means the car belongs to the second |
| have kept control on their people and foreigners for | | | | most-important officer from the Russian embassy. |
| decades. | | | | Even though everyone's supposed to be equal under |
| Cuba Government Owned Cars | | | | Cuban socialism most everyone in Cuba knows that |
| To be fair the fact is that the Cuban government | | | | that is not true especially when a modern shiny black |
| owns most 95% of all the cars in Cuba. Cuban | | | | sedan with black license plates speeds along 5th |
| Government vehicles have blue plates with letters | | | | Avenue in Miramar, Havana as if to show "I'm more |
| and numbers that indicate when and where the | | | | important than you" |
| vehicle can operate. | | | | Decades ago Cuban officials' cars were Soviet |
| Blue Cuban Cars cannot be used for personal use and | | | | imports, as the Cubans were encouraged to drive |
| can only be used for official government or | | | | Russian Ladas or other square slow cars. Now many |
| professional purposes. | | | | Cuban vehicles are imported from China or bought |
| The risk to take your car to the beach is that there | | | | from Havana's Peugeot, Fiat and Mercedes |
| are many Traffic Inspectors strategically planted | | | | dealerships, adding variety to the white-plated fleet. |
| along most highways out of town and other | | | | Tourist Rental Cars in Cuba |
| high-traffic areas, stopping official cars to check their | | | | Even the Toursit rental cars get maroon plates and |
| routes and to make sure they aren't being used for | | | | foreign journalists, religious leaders and Cubans |
| taking your family to the beach. | | | | managers for overseas firms have orange plates. |
| Top Cuban executives at government firms have | | | | If you see Red then its provisional plates that allow |
| light brown colored plates that allow more leeway | | | | vehicles to circulate while Cuban authorities sort out |
| yet they still may only be allowed to use their | | | | just what color category is required. |
| vehicles to travel to and from work. | | | | |
| Yet another form of control is what it really is said | | | | American Classic Cars in Cuba |
| Emilio Perez, a chauffeur who is driving a Black | | | | Best of all the countless 50year old American Classic |
| Mercedes to escort elite foreign officials around | | | | roadsters that create a living moving museum along |
| Havana. | | | | the island's potholed streets have bright yellow license |
| Russian Cars in Cuba | | | | plates, meaning they are normal vehicles owned by |
| Since 1960's the Soviet Union was Cuba's God father | | | | ordinary Cubans. |
| and benefactor. For decades all Cuban license plates | | | | These dinosaurs from the good old days of Detroit's |
| were boring black and white, and the first two letters | | | | chrome-and-tail-fin era are still dominant on most |
| specified the province where the car was registered. | | | | Cuban roads because ordinary Cubans can not own |
| The third letter determined the state or private | | | | new cars. Cubans can buy and sell only cars |
| ownership depending on the status. | | | | manufactured before the Castro's took power in |
| The Soviets also had a very special Code of numbers | | | | 1959. |
| for embassy license plates determined by country's | | | | As yet another form of Control the buying of any |
| recognition of the Russian Revolution: Plates for | | | | newer vehicles requires Cuban government |
| Britain, which is the first foreign country to accept | | | | permission - including justifying how you can afford a |
| the czar's ouster are still 001. | | | | car when the communist state controls well over 90 |
| Cuba fashioned its own similar system with the first | | | | percent of the economy and pays employees an |
| letter in the license plate indicating the 14 provinces | | | | average of about $10 to $20 a month. |
| the car originates, H is from Havana. | | | | All this maybe confusing for a foreigner, but for |
| The letter K is "Particular" or "privately owned" car by | | | | Cubans it's normal. |
| a person or by a foreign firm. | | | | |