The Cuban Brianna, a TikTok user identified as @rodriguez20245, shared in a video how she spent 1,080 Cuban pesos preparing lunch and her baby's meals for just two or three days. The content has sparked a flood of reactions due to the high cost of baby food amid the economic crisis currently affecting the island.
“This is what I spent on food for my baby. I went to all the places that sell vegetables, which we call carretilleros here, and I bought 2 pounds of guagüí and 1 pound of pumpkin for 480 pesos,” the young mother explained. Then, she moved to the meat stalls where she purchased 2 pounds of chicken at 300 CUP each, totaling 600 pesos. “In total, 1,080 Cuban pesos,” she detailed. “As soon as I got home, I cooked and made his puree for lunch and dinner. I like him to eat fresh food,” she added.
One of the surprises of the video was the mention of guagüí, a root vegetable that many users, including Cubans, are not familiar with. "What is that?" dozens asked in the comments. Brianna clarified that it is a tuber "similar to malanga," and users from the Dominican Republic associated it with yautía. The lack of knowledge even prompted jokes, but it also highlighted how the conditions in the country have forced many families to adapt to lesser-known products.
Brianna's testimony sparked a wave of comments on TikTok, where many expressed their concern about the economic situation of mothers in Cuba. "How do they manage to live like that?" asked one user. "Do you really need 8,500 pesos a month just for baby food?" calculated another follower. Brianna responded that her current salary is 4,000 CUP, highlighting an alarming gap between income and basic needs. Other users inquired about how much that expense would be in dollars at the unofficial exchange rate.
The video arrives amid a new surge in the informal currency market. According to the daily report from elToque, dated April 3rd, the dollar rose to 358 CUP, the euro skyrocketed to 365 CUP, and the Convertible Currency (MLC) dropped to 272 CUP. These fluctuations reflect a growing economic instability and a new increase in the prices of basic goods on the island.
La situación descrita por Brianna se suma a una serie de denuncias ciudadanas que en las últimas semanas han retratado la precariedad económica desde distintos ángulos. A young woman in Matanzas mostró lo poco que pudo comprar su tía jubilada con una pensión de 1.600 pesos: apenas un pomo de aceite, un paquete de salchichas y algo de arroz. Another Cuban explained que gastó 35.000 CUP en una compra quincenal para su familia, incluyendo productos de aseo, carne y alimentos básicos, y aún así no le alcanzó para todo lo que necesitaba. A teacher on maternity leave documentó cómo, con su salario reducido a 60 %, apenas pudo comprar algunos dulces, fideos, arroz y un pequeño yogur para su hijo. En otro caso, A young woman showed that with the minimum pension de 1.500 CUP solo pudo adquirir una libra de arroz, frijoles, tres huevos y un paquete de picadillo. Y a content creator explained con tono irónico que ni siquiera el salario mínimo alcanzaba para cubrir el costo de dos pizzas y un pomo de puré de tomate.
These testimonies, all recorded on social media by Cuban citizens, reflect a shared reality: the average income on the island, whether from salary or pension, barely meets the basic needs of a family. Food, which should be a guaranteed right, has become an unattainable luxury for many.
Frequently asked questions about the economic crisis in Cuba and its impact on child nutrition
How much does it cost to feed a baby in Cuba for two or three days?
Feeding a baby in Cuba for two or three days can cost around 1,080 Cuban pesos, as Brianna showed in her viral video, where she detailed the purchase of root vegetables and chicken to prepare her child's meals.
What is guagüí and why is it relevant in Cuba's diet?
The guagüí is a tuber similar to malanga, and its significance in current Cuban cuisine stems from families' need to adapt to less common products due to the scarcity of more traditional foods and high costs on the island.
How does Cuba's economic situation affect mothers and their children?
The economic situation in Cuba significantly hinders mothers from meeting their children's basic needs, as the average income is insufficient to ensure proper nutrition, a reality that has been highlighted on social media through numerous testimonials from Cuban mothers.
What is the exchange rate between the Cuban peso and the US dollar in the informal market?
According to the daily report from elToque on April 3, 2025, the exchange rate of the US dollar in the informal market was 358 Cuban pesos per dollar, reflecting the growing economic instability on the island.
How do inflation and the devaluation of the peso impact the daily lives of Cubans?
Inflation and the devaluation of the Cuban peso have significantly raised the cost of living, making it difficult for many families to meet their basic needs with their salaries or pensions, which forces them to adapt to less common products and cut essential expenses.
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