A Cuban woman living on the island shared on TikTok the conditions under which she must cook daily to feed her daughter, amidst shortages of gas, electricity, and coal. In her testimony, she explains that often she is forced to start a fire in the early morning when her daughter asks for milk, despite the smoke, soot, and accumulated fatigue.
"Cubans are trapped in the past; we still do not have development," says the user @darlinmedina93, who details that while in other countries people cook with gas or electricity, in her case she only has "a small electric pot" or "any little gas appliance, but we can hardly ever use it because we never have gas, much less electricity."
When the coal runs out, she says, there’s no other option but to turn to firewood. “I know you’re going to tell me that cooking with firewood is very nice, and yes, I agree with you, it’s not bad to have a little house in the countryside and cook with it once a year, but it’s not easy, my love, to have to struggle every day to cook with coal or firewood, to have your house filled with soot, and to choke on the smoke.”
The young woman emphasizes that this effort multiplies in the early hours of the morning when her daughter asks for milk. “Having to get up at two in the morning when your little girl asks for milk, to get up and cook over a wood fire, my love, when you experience that, then come and tell me how nice it is to cook over a wood fire,” she says in the video.
"Although I do it with a lot of pride, because my daughter can't go without eating, and even less so without her bottle of milk," he adds.
The post received hundreds of comments, many of them focused on her appearance. In response to the criticism, she said: “Girl, come live in Cuba, a gas tank here on the street costs you over 100 dollars because the state doesn’t provide it. I would have to spend more than a year saving up for nail care to buy gas. Before you spread poison, get informed.” In another comment, she wrote: “Cuban women have a lot of self-respect; despite the difficulties, we take care of ourselves and dedicate time to ourselves because we are also women.”
@darlinmedina93 has shared other posts depicting her day-to-day life. In July, she showcased her breakfast: bread with oil and garlic. “Eating a bread with oil and garlic today is a blessing, because there are people who don’t even have a loaf of bread to eat, let alone garlic to season their food,” she stated.
He also demonstrated how he had to wash clothes in a river due to the lack of water and electricity: “I had to come to the river to wash, which was a bit dirty, but I was able to solve my problem”.
These testimonies align with similar situations recorded in various provinces of the country. In Holguín, a mother was seen cooking with firewood in the middle of a street. In Las Tunas, entire communities have reported relying exclusively on firewood for cooking.
Organizations such as Food Monitor Program have warned that over nine million Cubans lack stable access to gas or electricity, and that the energy crisis has led to an increase in tree cutting for firewood, exacerbating deforestation.
The shortage has forced many to resort to makeshift solutions. In Cumanayagua, a young man started making charcoal stoves from broken rice cookers to assist his neighbors during power outages. Meanwhile, the price of charcoal has reached 3,000 pesos in some areas, according to citizen reports.
Even the official newspaper Girón published a photo report acknowledging that many Cubans have to cook on improvised stoves due to the lack of gas and electricity. “Without energy to operate pressure cookers and induction stoves, one must resort to gas; however, not everyone has a contract for this,” the outlet pointed out.
Another Cuban user, identified as @una.cubana.de.el, shared in April how she tries to clean her pots covered in soot after cooking with charcoal. “Another dawn with tremendous sleepiness and dark circles like a raccoon because of my friend the blackout,” she recounted.
The testimony of @darlinmedina93 joins a collection of experiences that illustrate how domestic life in Cuba has been profoundly impacted by the energy crisis, where cooking every day becomes a challenge marked by scarcity and improvisation.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Energy Crisis and Daily Life in Cuba
Why are many Cubans cooking with firewood?
Due to the shortage of gas and electricity, many Cubans are forced to turn to firewood as an alternative for cooking. This situation has been exacerbated by the lack of energy resources and the economic difficulties the country is facing, which has led to more than nine million people lacking stable access to these basic services.
What is the situation with blackouts in Cuba?
Blackouts are a constant in Cuba, significantly affecting the quality of life for families. Extensive daily power outages that can last more than 24 hours are common due to failures in thermoelectric plants, lack of fuel, and scheduled maintenance. These interruptions complicate everyday tasks such as cooking, refrigerating food, and using appliances.
How does the energy crisis affect the daily lives of Cuban mothers?
The energy crisis in Cuba has severely impacted the daily lives of mothers, who must come up with makeshift solutions for cooking and household chores. Many wake up at dawn to light wood or charcoal stoves in order to feed their children, dealing with exhaustion, smoke, and economic constraints. Furthermore, the lack of electricity and water complicates their day-to-day lives even more.
What impact does the gas shortage have in Cuba?
The shortage of gas in Cuba has led to an increasing reliance on coal and firewood for cooking. The difficulty in obtaining gas, due to financial and logistical problems of the regime, has forced families to seek less efficient and more polluting alternatives, worsening the economic and environmental situation on the island.
How do Cubans cope with the lack of water and electricity?
In the absence of water and electricity, Cubans turn to improvised solutions such as washing clothes in rivers or using wood and charcoal stoves for cooking. Creativity and resilience are essential to cope with these shortages, which have become a part of daily life due to the energy and economic crisis affecting the country.
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