A Cuban resident in Spain posted a video on TikTok lasting just over a minute this Wednesday, showcasing the devastating living conditions she encountered during her recent visit to the island: streets flooded with garbage, a family cooking with charcoal, and barely two or three hours of electricity every 24 hours.
The author of the video, identified on the platform as Yani Cuba (@yanicuba1142), recounts that she returned ill and attributes her discomfort to the water she drank during her stay in Cuba.
"I just returned from Cuba and I am gradually uploading some of the things that impacted me the most because I also came back sick from the water they drink," she recounts in the video, highlighting the precarious health situation faced by Cubans on the island.
It is not an isolated case. 87% of the Cuban aqueduct system relies on the National Electric System, which means that prolonged blackouts directly impact the supply of drinking water across the country.
The energy crisis facing Cuba shows no signs of improvement. The national deficits in electricity generation exceeding 1,850 megawatts have turned daily life into an odyssey for millions of families who have access to only a few hours of light each day.
The impact on water supply is devastating. In Matanzas, for example, more than 300,000 people in that province are affected by supply issues, a figure that reflects the extent of the collapse of essential services.
Due to the lack of running water, many Cubans are forced to buy it at exorbitant prices. The water trucks range from 6,000 to 15,000 pesos depending on the province, an expense that is impossible for most citizens to bear.
The economic situation exacerbates the outlook even further. The minimum pension in Cuba is approximately 4,000 pesos, an amount that is insufficient to cover even the most basic needs, while with an average salary of 5,000-6,000 pesos, one cannot live with dignity in the current crisis context.
The video of Yani Cuba is not the only recent testimony documenting these conditions. Another Cuban showed on April 14 how she cooks with charcoal due to the inability to use electricity or gas, a practice that has become common in many households on the island.
The testimonies of those who visit Cuba from abroad also reveal the physical deterioration of the population. In another case that shocked Cubans on social media, a family member arrived 20 kilograms lighter, an image that encapsulates better than any statistic the food and health crisis the country is experiencing.
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