"Old Cars" Say Goodbye To Cuba

Havana - For the first time since the 1959 revolution, Cuba has given its citizens the green light to buy and sell cars, in one of the most eagerly awaited economic changes under President Raul Castro.

An official decree published Wednesday said Cubans and foreign residents would be able to do with their cars what they wanted "without any prior authorization."

The regulations, which take effect Saturday, are not without limits, but they were welcomed by Cubans, most of whom have not been able to own cars for decades.

Reaction to the change was swift on revolico.com, a website where Cubans buy and sell goods and services. Listings for all kinds of cars were posted at prices ranging from the equivalent of $25,000 for a 1951 Chevrolet to $4,800 for a 1948 Dodge.

Previously, only autos that were in Cuba before the revolution could be bought and sold with government permission. A black market, however, has been active.

Even with the changes, price will be an issue, because Cuba's average monthly salary is about $20.

"Maybe if I can save money, one day in my life I will be able to buy a car," office worker Silvia Santos said. "It's going to be hard, but at least now it's a possibility."