A reel published on Facebook by the Cuban comedian known as Don Fito (Rodolfo Antonio) has become one of the most shared videos of the week, with almost 200,000 views, thanks to a phrase that dismantles the anti-imperialist rhetoric of the regime in just one line.
In the video, the comedian parodies the official Cuban discourse with surgical precision: he directly addresses the "imperialists" to assure them that Cuba is not afraid, that they can fill the coasts with ships and aircraft carriers, and concludes with a phrase that says it all: "Don't think you're going to pick the low-hanging fruit with us. There aren't even any mangos here, buddy."
The expression "coger mango bajito" is a Cubanism that means taking advantage of something easy, of what is within reach without effort. By adding "here there aren't even any mangos," Don Fito turns the punchline into a double mockery: Cuba is not an easy prey for imperialism—this is echoed in the official discourse—because there aren't even real mangos to eat.
The joke comes at a time of peak geopolitical tension. Following the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces on January 3, the government of Donald Trump intensified pressure on Havana with statements about a possible "friendly takeover" of the Island, spy plane flights off the coast of Cuba and threats of military intervention.
Díaz-Canel has responded with the usual rhetoric. From the José Martí Antimperialist Tribune, he declared: "We will remain alert, but without fear," and added: "The people of Cuba are not anti-imperialist by textbook. Imperialism made us anti-imperialists."
It is precisely that cardboard courage that the comedian dismantles with humor.
The contradiction between heroic discourse and daily misery is the fuel for humor. Five Cuban provinces are on the brink of survival, with 80% of the population suffering from food insecurity, and one in four people going to bed without dinner, according to data from April.
This is compounded by power outages of up to 25 hours a day, an economy that declined by 5% in 2025, and a projected contraction of 7.2% for this year.
The video of Don Fito is part of a long-standing tradition of viral Cuban political humor that has thrived on social media in 2026. Memes about Díaz-Canel, artificial intelligence videos recreating his capture, and parodies of military figures have proliferated as a release valve in the face of a crisis that official censorship does not allow to be named directly.
It’s not the first time that Cuban humor targets the same subject. In January, Cubans repeated the official script in front of the cameras while social media was flooded with memes telling a very different story.
Don Fito's joke condenses that same truth in 29 seconds: "There aren't even any mangos here, man."
Filed under: