"Is that bread made in Cuba?": Photo in official media sparks outrage on social networks

"Where did that bread come from?" This question was repeated several times in the comments on a post from the official station Radio Sancti Spíritus, which stated that the Food Industry Company in the region is facing "with creativity and organization" the energy restrictions to ensure the bread of the basic food basket.

The note, which quotes Víctor Díaz Acosta, the director of the entity, describes how they have reorganized in response to the lack of fuel and the low availability of wheat flour, resorting— as they explain— to traditional methods and new forms of transportation to sustain production.

However, more than the informative content, what sparked a flood of reactions was the archival image that accompanied the publication: several large, golden, fluffy loaves of bread, far removed from the appearance of the nearly nonexistent regulated bread that Cubans receive today.

"What a terrible loaf," wrote one user. Another comment was more straightforward: "That bread is for an event because it's not for the people."

Amid power outages, a shortage of flour, and irregular distribution, Facebook users quickly compared the image shared by state media with the reality they face in their neighborhoods. "I haven't seen a basket of bread like that in a long time," noted one user. Others were even more critical: "That's a meme," "Just a photo," "That bread isn't from here," "And that bread is made in Cuba?"

Several comments pointed out that in certain bakeries, there are days when no regulated bread is sold, while the so-called "liberated bread" can cost up to 90 CUP, a price that is unattainable for many Cuban families.

The post, which aimed to highlight "creativity" in the face of the energy crisis, ultimately became a platform for public outcry. Many ironic comments were made about how, if this is the outcome of the reorganization, one can only hope that the bread that reaches the average Cuban's table someday resembles that in the photo.

Because in real Cuba, the one with the small loaf, sometimes undercooked, of poor quality or with inventions that aim to replace flour, the gap between official discourse and daily life remains as significant as the size of those perfectly golden loaves that—according to comments—no one acknowledges.