Cubana calls for more empathy and sincerity on social media: "In Cuba, having coffee for breakfast is more than a luxury."

A Cuban influencer has sparked debate on social media after sharing a video in which she shows her breakfast in Cuba. However, instead of boasting, she reflects on the privileges that come with being able to access certain foods on the island.

The video, posted by the user @kary_y_jony on TikTok, starts with the phrase: "This is what I have for breakfast one day living in Cuba," a common expression among some content creators on social media. However, she quickly breaks away from that narrative to show a more realistic perspective. "That's what many content creators in Cuba tell you, but the reality is that having coffee for breakfast in Cuba is more than a luxury, and if having coffee is a luxury, just imagine having milk and pancakes; I'm sure very few Cubans have tried this. In any part of the world, it would be normal, but not in Cuba. I’m not saying there aren’t people in Cuba who have such a nice breakfast, but it’s not the norm."

The young woman also acknowledges that not every day can she have breakfast like this, and that this privilege has been made possible thanks to the support of her followers. "Thank God and our supporters that today we can have this for breakfast. The reality is that even a professional can't afford these luxuries. How wonderful it would be if all Cuban children could have breakfast like this or choose what they want for breakfast. Don’t think I have this every day, and don’t believe I’m going to eat it all by myself," she added. She concluded her message with a call for honesty on social media: "Ultimately, we need to be more empathetic and sincere online. Let me know what is the most common breakfast in Cuba."

Comments on the video came in quickly, with some users sharing their own experiences marked by scarcity—some critiqued directly, while others expressed resignation or sarcasm. One Cuban lamented that many children in the East only have water with sugar for breakfast, and only when there is sugar available. Others, in an ironic tone, claimed that what they have for breakfast is "disgust" or that what was shown "is not breakfast in Cuba." There were also those who suspected that the influencer's lifestyle was funded by external help or accused her of being supported by others. In contrast, some attempted to offer practical suggestions for preparing breakfasts with limited resources or simply showed their support.

This content adds to a trend on social media where several women from the island have shared what they eat in the mornings, sparking debates about representation, inequality, and privilege. A young woman showcased a breakfast featuring strawberries grown in her garden, triggering a wave of comments questioning access to such foods on the island due to it being a difficult crop in the Cuban climate. Another Cuban woman improvised her breakfast with sugar water due to a lack of milk, while a third combined breakfast and lunch with eggs, sausages, and bread, reflecting the need to stretch a single meal throughout the day in light of limited options.

The coffee shortage in Cuba is not just a daily perception, but the result of a structural crisis affecting the entire production chain, from harvesting to distribution. Traditionally coffee-producing provinces like Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba have failed to meet their collection plans in recent years, and often the beans never even reach the warehouses, as the producers themselves report. While the regime attempts to revitalize the sector with international projects such as Innova Café Guantánamo, funded by the Andalusian Agency for International Cooperation, the reality in Cuban households is that obtaining coffee has become a luxury that relies on shipments from abroad or the informal market, where a pound can cost up to 200 pesos.

The situation has reached such a point that the arrival of rationed coffee to stores, after months of absence, is celebrated as an exceptional event. This happened in Holguín, where a young woman documented on social media how, after five months, she was able to collect her coffee ration from the ration book, linking this sudden abundance to the approach of May 1st, suggesting it was a propaganda gesture to "keep us happy" rather than a sustainable solution. Meanwhile, in Santiago, production shortfalls, lack of labor, payment delays, and logistical failures have turned the traditional “buchito” of coffee into a symbol of national disillusionment that reflects the deep disconnect between the countryside and the Cuban table.

The message from @kary_y_jony stands out for breaking away from the aspirational narrative of some digital creators in Cuba and makes an explicit call for empathy and sincerity, acknowledging that their breakfast is not the norm, that they don't have that opportunity every day, and that even professionals in Cuba can hardly afford that kind of food. Their post has opened a necessary space for conversation about the differences that define the daily lives of Cubans within the island.

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