"In Cuba, you don't choose what you want to eat; you survive with what little is available": Spanish YouTuber shows "what no one teaches you about Cuba."

The Spanish YouTuber Juanjo Dalmau, creator of the channel Traveling with Dalmau, has once again shaken up social media with a new video recorded in Havana, where he portrays, with rawness and without filters, the reality that millions of Cubans face every day. In his post, shared on TikTok, Dalmau (@jdalmau_) stops in front of a Havana bodega while filming a long queue of people in search of food. From there, he delivers one of the most impactful lines of the material: “Imagine living in a country where your food depends on a ration book… a ration book that promises basic food items but most of the time only distributes emptiness.”

The video, just over a minute long, combines scenes of urban decay with a direct, almost incredulous discourse in which the creator attempts to process what he observes. He walks through streets filled with accumulated garbage, points out facades on the verge of collapsing, balconies that have fallen down, and homes he deems uninhabitable. "Living here… at any moment your house could fall down, man," he comments, recording the surroundings with a resigned expression. Later on, he covers his face due to the stench and expresses his frustration over the lack of institutional action: “It smells terrible, my goodness, the amount of garbage here in the middle of the street… when the government feels like it, they'll come to pick it up.”

Public transportation is not exempt from his scrutiny. In one scene, he focuses on a crowded and dilapidated bus, with windows missing glass and visibly rusted structures. "Wow, this bus is totally wrecked," he remarks, appealing to the disbelief of the foreign viewer. Dalmau also interacts with people on the street, some of whom, with resigned expressions, confirm what the images already convey: surviving in Cuba means a daily struggle for the most basic necessities.

Reactions to the video have been varied and reflect the usual polarization surrounding the Cuban issue. Some users praised him for bringing to light a reality they see as silenced or glossed over. Others accused him of exaggerating or exploiting misery for content purposes. However, the common denominator in many of the comments is the acknowledgment of a profound crisis affecting all aspects of daily life.

This is not the first time Dalmau has addressed this topic. During his stay in Cuba, he has published other videos highlighting the collapse of the housing system and the scarcity of food. In one of them, he accompanied a Cuban father on an odyssey to obtain milk for his daughter. After visiting several stores without success, he only managed to find powdered milk at a very high price in a small private business.

The scene moved thousands of people and sparked a new debate about living conditions on the island. In that video, titled “the odyssey of buying milk,” Dalmau depicted the daily struggles of Cuban families who must face an almost absolute scarcity of basic products.

In another recent post, the youtuber showcased homes on the verge of collapse, streets littered with waste, and citizens who, despite the circumstances, are moving forward. Dalmau has stated several times that he needs to record discreetly with his mobile phone to avoid issues with the authorities, as he believes that “one cannot show what the regime does not want to be seen.”

While most Cubans seek to escape this reality, another Spaniard has chosen the opposite. Artist Wayota OD decided to move to Cuba after suffering a stroke. In his own words, he was looking for a second chance to live and make music. “I decided to give it all up to move to the island of blackouts,” he said in a video shared on social media. Despite the power outages, challenges with food, and a scam he fell victim to shortly after arriving, the young man claims that he does not regret his decision.

His story, widely discussed on social media, has generated both admiration and criticism. Some users congratulate him for his bravery, while others question the viability of his decision and his potential financial support from Spain. In April, Wayota reported being a victim of a scam after a night out, which also raised alarms among his followers.

While Wayota argues that Cuba provides a space for introspection and artistic creation, Dalmau portrays a country mired in neglect, scarcity, and despair. Two Spaniards, two perspectives, an island torn between survival and resistance.

Frequently asked questions about the crisis in Cuba according to the YouTuber Juanjo Dalmau