A video posted by Cuban content creator Sheyla Reyes (@sheyreyes032) has garnered thousands of views on TikTok, showcasing how she celebrated her mother's 56th birthday in the province of Matanzas, amid the deep economic crisis currently afflicting Cuba.
In the images, Sheyla shares how the small family gathering went with some close neighbors, in a simple yet emotionally charged atmosphere.
The celebration included a cake, stuffed breads, croquettes, cold spaghetti salad with ham, small pancakes, and candies. What would be considered a modest party in another context has been classified by many users as a "luxury birthday" in today's Cuba.
The high prices of food and the scarcity faced by the population make a modest, home-based birthday party seem like something out of this world.
The young woman expressed feeling proud to have organized the celebration: “I did everything with a lot of love, and seeing my mom happy is priceless,” she said in the video.
Behind the tenderness and happiness that the images evoke, the publication reignites the debate about extreme poverty on the island, as the majority of Cuban families cannot organize a birthday celebration like that.
The average monthly salary is not even enough to cover basic food, let alone to buy sweets or gifts.
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