An elderly Cuban man identified as Lázaro Valdés has become the voice of an entire generation by describing, with calmness and without dramatism, what it means to live in Cuba today: “Currently, surviving, eating, getting to the table, solving everyday problems has become a luxury”.
The testimony was collected by the account Covers Enoc in a video posted on Facebook, where Lázaro is seen sitting on the porch of a house, calmly and honestly answering questions about his daily life on the island.
"The concept of luxury is currently a very relative notion. Those things that once seemed unattainable to us were a luxury," reflected the old man before reaching that conclusion which summarizes the crisis that Cuba is facing in 2026.
Lázaro also acknowledged the burden of constant stress: "I, like any Cuban, am a victim of stress. We live in a very difficult situation."
In identifying the main cause of that distress, he pointed directly to the blackouts: "I believe that the most difficult thing that overwhelms us Cubans is the issue of blackouts. Whether it comes, whether it goes, whether it arrives, whether it’s now, whether it’s later, whether it’s after. That keeps us constantly stressed, along with all the difficulties in this country."
His words reflect a documented reality. In May 2026, reports indicated daily power cuts lasting 20 to 22 hours in Havana, and a study published in Social Science & Medicine concluded that prolonged blackouts are associated with «extremely severe» levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in Cuban adults.
In terms of food, the situation is equally serious. The economist Javier Pérez Capdevila estimated in April 2026 that the cost of survival in Cuba is 40,000-50,000 pesos per person per month, including food, hygiene products, medicines, transportation, and services.
That figure contrasts with the minimum pension of 4,000 pesos that retirees receive after the partial adjustment approved by the regime in September 2025, a number that represents less than 10% of what is necessary to cover the basic basket.
This month, rice surpassed 400 pesos per pound in the informal market, prompting some Cubans to replace it with puré of root vegetables.
The Food Monitor Program had calculated in August 2025 that a basic food basket for two adults cost over 40,000 pesos in Havana, more than six average salaries.
Despite the situation he describes, Lázaro Valdés concluded his testimony with a message of faith that resonated with those who witnessed it: "Life, despite all these things I've mentioned, is worth it. Because there is a God above all things who is with us, who is here, who accompanies us in this moment. And if we believe in Him, life is worth it. It is always worth it."
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