In a Cuba marked by blackouts, scarcity and physical and emotional exhaustion have made everyday life a privilege. As a result, getting a good night's sleep, bathing with running water, having a hot meal, or simply enjoying a few minutes of distraction without worries are, for many, unattainable luxuries.
Precarity in the country has reached a point where the most basic gestures —those that were once taken for granted— are now exceptional, and this is the Cuba that "progresses," and it hurts immensely.
This was reflected by the official journalist Guillermo Carmona Rodríguez in a post that has gone viral on Facebook.
Editor of the Girón newspaper in Matanzas, Carmona described with starkness and lyricism that collective feeling of weariness, resignation, and everyday pain.
Under the title "Luxury Article," he wrote a piece filled with irony and despair, inspired by a poem by Hugo Hodelín.
For Carmona, drinking a glass of cold water is already a miracle, eating hot soup, sleeping without interruptions, watching a soap opera without blackouts, or having time to love without the country's burdens weighing too heavily—all of that is now a luxury.
"Everything is lukewarm: the soup, the coffee, the spirits," he notes.
In his text, the heat crushes desire, fatigue accumulates like an old dream, and food is so scarce that a good steak is not only impossible but unthinkable.
The publication, written from within the official apparatus, touches on themes that many Cubans experience daily and that are rarely acknowledged publicly by state media or voices aligned with the government.
"There are too many luxury items, and all I have in my pockets is the lint from my shirt," concludes the author, in a metaphor that encapsulates the widespread dispossession of a population that, rather than merely surviving, is resisting.
The text, shared multiple times on social media with messages of empathy, sadness, and collective catharsis, is more of an intimate portrait of a country that lives in a state of permanent emergency than a direct denunciation.
This is not the first time that the official journalist Carmona has used his voice within the state system to highlight the everyday hardships faced by Cubans.
In a recent chronicle, he recounted the obstacles his family faced after the death of his grandmother, when the lack of fuel and state disorganization nearly prevented her burial on time.
Frequently asked questions about the crisis in Cuba and "luxury items"
Why is it considered a luxury to sleep well in Cuba?
In Cuba, getting a good night's sleep has become a luxury due to the constant power outages and the scarcity of basic resources. The lack of electricity and the heat hinder proper rest, making something as essential as uninterrupted sleep seem like a privilege.
How has the energy crisis affected daily life in Cuba?
The energy crisis in Cuba has severely impacted daily life by limiting access to electricity and gas. Cubans are forced to use charcoal or firewood for cooking, and extended blackouts make everyday tasks like cooking and doing laundry difficult.
What other aspects of daily life are considered a luxury in Cuba?
In Cuba, in addition to sleeping well, having running water, eating hot meals, and enjoying a few minutes without worries are regarded as luxuries. Precarity has reached levels where the ordinary has become exceptional.
What is the response of the state-run press to the crisis in Cuba?
The official Cuban press has begun to reflect on the crisis from a more human perspective, although it avoids directly pointing out the structural causes and those responsible for the crisis. Some articles depict daily hardships without delving into the government's failed policies.
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