"In Cuba, there is food, but at impossible prices," claims influencer

A Cuban content creator summarized in a video the paradox experienced on the island: in Cuba, there is food, the markets are stocked, but the prices are unattainable for the vast majority of the population.

Yatmara Bernal published the video on Facebook addressing frequently asked questions from her followers, who were asking if there were markets in Cuba, if they could only buy from the bodega, and if there was really access to food.

"In Cuba, there is indeed food. There are numerous well-stocked markets that everyone can access. Markets that offer a varied selection of all kinds of food, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, oils, whole grains, milk and its derivatives, legumes, sugar, and so on," the creator explained in her video.

However, he said that the actual access to those foods is another story. Various analyses have shown that surviving in Cuba costs more than 50,000 CUP per month, a figure that is much higher than the salaries received by most Cubans.

The situation is so critical that a young Cuban recently demonstrated how he spent almost his entire salary on a single purchase, leaving only 700 CUP for the rest of the month, highlighting the gap between market prices and the actual purchasing power of the population.

Buying food is a structural problem in Cuba, where state salaries do not suffice to meet basic nutritional needs, even when the shelves of markets appear to be full of products.

The situation is further exacerbated because the Cuban government eliminates general subsidies for the family basket, leaving thousands of families without the support that previously mitigated the impact of high prices.

This is compounded by the deterioration of the historic ration book, which since 1962 ensured a minimum supply of subsidized food to each Cuban household, and which today offers fewer and fewer products at affordable prices.

According to recent data, the basic food basket for two adults costs an amount that far exceeds the monthly income of most workers in the state sector on the island.

Essential product prices are relentless. The price of rice ranges from 280 to 350 CUP per pound, an unimaginable cost for those earning salaries between 3,000 and 5,000 CUP monthly, making daily nutrition a true survival challenge.