If you are planning your vacation trip to Cuba, it is important that you prepare to face a series of everyday difficulties that affect the residents on the island and, of course, tourists.
Jesús de Cuba (@jesusdecuba), a popular TikTok user, exposed the harsh conditions he faces during his stay in Santiago de Cuba. He used a tone that was both ironic and desperate to denounce the situation of blackouts and the lack of potable water.
This scarcity of water, heat, and lack of electricity is extreme in many localities and affects Cuban families every day, including those who travel from abroad to visit their loved ones.
Jesus recounts how the government promised to guarantee electricity during the months of July and August and encouraged Cubans abroad to visit the island. However, the promises remained empty words.
"Look at this, there is no power," he commented in his video, while showing the dimness around him. "They tell people: 'Come to Cuba, you're going to have guaranteed electricity'... but look, we're in October and it's still the same," he added with evident frustration.
Blackouts are not the only thing that torments Cubans. Just a few weeks ago, Jesús reported the lack of water in his neighborhood. He went as long as seven days without this vital service, being forced to use a wheelbarrow to go to a neighbor's house with a cistern to fill up some jugs for personal use.
Despite everything, Jesús continues to highlight the cultural value of Cuba and the warmth of its people, characteristics that, in his opinion, are what truly attract tourists to the country.
However, one wonders how visitors will be able to enjoy the island when they have to face critical situations such as long blackouts, food shortages, unsanitary conditions, mosquitoes, viral diseases, and lack of drinking water.
"A tourist is going to want to be walking through the streets in this darkness... Look at this, it looks like a natural sauna," he mocked, referring to the high temperatures that reach up to 35 degrees amidst prolonged power outages.
Contrast between tourist advertising and reality in Cuba.
Despite the difficulties faced by Cubans and residents abroad who visit the island, the regime continues to promote tourism and invest its scarce resources in the sector.
The results of those investments are not visible. The arrival of tourists to the island drastically fell between January and July 2024, which highlights the complex conditions the country is facing.
Cuba has extraordinary natural beauty and cultural richness, but it continues to be trapped in an energy, economic, infrastructure, and freedom crisis that affects its inhabitants.
Precarity and daily difficulties are intensified by the increase in extreme poverty and the lack of food. Visitors who are not prepared to face these everyday realities may experience true torment during their trip to Cuba.
So if you decide to spend your vacation in Cuba, it's important to go with your eyes open, a pack of powdered milk, several boxes of cookies, and a good flashlight in your suitcase.
What do you think?
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