Photographer snaps classic cars of Cuba

A PHOTOGRAPHER has travelled around Cuba snapping the nation’s iconic cars

Scroll down for the full story

Many of the cars date back to the 1940s and 50s before Fidel Castro came to power

The Caribbean island has become as synonymous with its classic cars as it is with cigars and they are popular attractions for tourists.

Each of the antique vehicles date back to the mid 20th century and is a reminder of a time in Cuba’s history before Fidel Castro rose to power.

The bright coloured classic cars have now become a tourist attraction for visitors to the island

Photographer Ioanna Sakellaraki, 26, took the pictures during her most recent visit to the nation’s capital, Havana in June.

Over the years many of the old style motors have been customised

Ioanna said: “I stayed for a couple of weeks in Cuba and travelled to Havana, Varadero, Matanzas, Trinidad and Pinar del Rio. The cars were in all neighbourhoods and streets so they were relatively easy to photograph.”

Ioanna said: "Old Cuban cars are like a time capsule from the past. It is like an anachronism from the 1940s and 1950s"

The history behind the cars becoming an iconic image of the country can be linked back to controversial former leader, Fidel Castro.

After coming to power during the Cuban Revolution and ousting the president at the time, Fulgenico Batista in 1959, Fidel’s newly formed government was slapped with sanctions from the international community.

Many of the classic motors in the country are still working up to this day

With most developed countries at the time unwilling to trade with the now communist state, Cuba was unable to get newer cars and so left with its old style models.

The cars in Cuba have remained the same due to sanctions imposed on the country

The country has now become a haven for car enthusiasts eager to be transported back in automotive time, as the island is regarded as a museum for classic motors.

Ioanna said: “Old Cuban cars are like a time capsule from the past. It is like an anachronism from the 1940s and 1950s. They are found all around Havana as well as the entire island itself.

The international sanctions on Cuba meant that the Castro run government could not import any new vehicles or parts

“It’s not only their main means of transport but also a great lifestyle landmark in Cuban life.”

Although many of the vehicles were built more than half a century ago they are still in decent working order, as locals have become well adept at fixing and customising the cars.

Cuba has now become a safe haven for car enthusiasts from around the world

She said: “The cars have been gradually transformed to new forms of the specific model as they have been through various alterations over the years.

"Sometimes the engines are changed and the body of the car is repainted in flashy colours with a lot of interior decoration on the seats and equipment."

In recent years Cuba has become a more open country with many US sanctions being lifted as the once icy relationship between the two nations has begun to thaw.

Cuba's closer links to America could mean an end to the classic motors

Many political spectators believe the relationship between the two states may improve even more due to the recent death of Fidel Castro.

As a result of the closer links between the countries, Cuba’s iconic cars may well soon become a thing of the past as more modern vehicles come to the island.

Ioanna said: “Currently Cuba is on the brink of becoming like every other country in the world which means that most of those cars will be soon substituted.”