Related videos:
A video shared on social media by the project Let Cuba Breathe and replicated by Cubadebate on X, as well as on its official Facebook page, has sparked a flood of reactions after showing a father and his son waking up early in the morning in Havana to cook with firewood amid the blackouts.
The Facebook post shows a scene of a father and son rising at night in the heart of Havana to cook with firewood, emphasizing that this is not a remote village or a different era, but rather contemporary Cuba, which the message attributes to the “suffocation of Trump.”
In the audiovisual material, the father attributes the lack of electricity and power outages to the fuel shortage related to the "blockade" and explains that, in the absence of an immediate solution, they are forced to seek alternatives such as cooking with firewood during the early morning hours.
The image, which reflects a widespread reality in many areas of the country due to prolonged power outages and a shortage of domestic gas, triggered a wave of criticism on social media, where dozens of comments accused the publication of using a crisis that they claimed is not recent to attribute it to the current U.S. administration and divert responsibility for the internal situation.
The practice of cooking with firewood or charcoal had already been acknowledged months earlier by the official press. In February 2025, the newspaper Girón published a photo report titled “The Makeshift Fire and a Cold Plate of Food”, which highlighted the plight of families forced to light fires due to a lack of electricity and a shortage of liquefied gas. The text described how many Cubans cooked in the early morning when they had electricity or resorted to charcoal and rudimentary methods to ensure a hot meal.
The threat of tariffs on countries that supply oil to Cuba, for its part, was announced on January 29, 2026, when the U.S. president signed an executive order regarding a national emergency and paved the way to sanction third countries that sell crude to the island. This timeline, in fact, has been cited by numerous users to argue that the energy crisis did not begin with that announcement.
On X, a user wrote: "Hypocrites, this is Cuba since 2020, and it's like this because of you who are a mafia." Another stated: "Don't be cynical; this Cuba has been like this for many years. It's not because of Trump that we Cubans are in this situation; the dictatorship is the cause, you who abuse the people, humiliate us, and repress us every day." There were also messages like: "It's the fault of the Castros, lying sons of bitches" and "The only 'blockade' is that of the PCC, screw you."
Several internet users mocked the moment when the problem became noticeable: “We've been like this for years, it’s just that before Cubadebate didn’t publish it because there was no justification, and now there is. That emotional blackmail no longer works.” In the same vein, another comment stated: “Oh no, it turns out that before 2025, Cuba was a paradise, we lived wonderfully, there was everything, oh, stop the crying and that old story—it's been years since we’ve been in a total disaster in every way.”
On Facebook, the outrage was similar. "Honestly, I don't think any leader cooks with firewood," wrote one user. Another commented: "Name one leader in Cuba who practices what they preach and cooks with firewood. Enough with the lies and shamelessness." They also asked: "And does Canel cook with firewood?"
Some pointed out that the practice of cooking with charcoal or wood is not new. "For months now, people in Cuba have been cooking with wood; all that's left to say is that the Granma yacht was delayed because of Trump"; "Before Trump, half of Cuba was already cooking with wood"; and "Long before Trump, this was already happening—manipulators and liars, begging for scraps instead of fixing the country, inept opportunists."
Others pointed to the internal restrictions. One comment stated: “The calamity and hardships of the Cuban people are not solely due to the embargo; they stem from the many restrictions that exist in Cuba for Cubans and the total control of the government over the economy. Remove the restrictions and tariffs so that people can bring in alternative goods. There are plenty of solutions to alleviate the crisis with solar energy, but when you arrive at the airport, they charge you or take it away if you bring in more than one. Those who import to resell are incredibly expensive, unaffordable for someone with limited resources. This is not about policies; it’s about the restrictions that exist for the people on both sides of the divide.”
There were also references to the inequality between leaders and citizens: “Why is the suffocation only for the people? I still haven't seen any leader with worn-out shoes, tattered clothes, and a face of hunger” or “The blockade is selective; it only affects those who do not belong to the government and their families. Criminals, give up power so that there can be equality for all.”
The frustration accumulated over years of economic and energy crisis was reflected in phrases like: "This has been going on for a long time, stop lying"; "Don't be shameless"; "Ridiculous. In the 21st century. That's why we hate you so much"; "You are the ones who need to let Cuba breathe, because you are the ones suffocating her, you hypocrites."
Health effects resulting from smoke were even mentioned: “I’ve caught who knows how many respiratory illnesses from the smoke, not just from my own, my neighbor burns foam, nylon, rags of all kinds.”
The video, which aimed to expose the energy crisis in the Cuban capital, ultimately amplified the discontent of many citizens who claim to have been living in this situation for years. They reject the portrayal of it as a recent phenomenon or the attribution of responsibility to the Trump administration for the downfall and misery that has engulfed the country.
Filed under: