Karen Hernandez, a Cuban living abroad known on TikTok as @elixir_karen1994, posted a video showing a purchase of 308 dollars entirely intended for her grandmother in Cuba, with the message "A little love for my grandmother in Cuba."
The video, published last Tuesday, May 26, became one of the most discussed of the week in the Cuban community on social media, as it reflected a reality that hundreds of thousands of emigrants experience every day.
From the very first second, Karen makes her stance clear: "When making a purchase for my grandmother in Cuba, I was certain that everything was tailored to her tastes."
The list of products is a faithful portrait of the shortages on the island: rice, skin cream, instant oats, bay leaves, cumin, sticks of cinnamon, paprika, apple cider vinegar, a gallon of extra virgin olive oil, four large packs of La Llave coffee, Nestum, milk flour, Goya seasoning, lentils, peas, white beans, noodles, cans of preservative-free meat, picadillo, spam, and heads of garlic.
Every choice has a compelling reason.
Regarding apple cider vinegar, Karen explains that "it’s great for people with diabetes," hinting that her grandmother suffers from that condition.
The four packages of coffee are no coincidence: “drinking coffee with ground peas is not an option for her,” says Karen, referring to the widespread practice in Cuba of mixing coffee with ground peas to make it last amid scarcity.
Canned meat also has its justification: since in Cuba "there is no electricity," Karen opted for products that do not require refrigeration, also choosing those that do not contain preservatives.
By showing the heads of garlic, she anticipates her grandmother's reaction: "when she sees that, she will be amazed."
The closing of the video is straightforward: "the purchase totaled three hundred eight dollars."
This type of content has established itself as a unique phenomenon within the Cuban community abroad, where showcasing purchases for Cuba on social media combines family emotion and an implicit denunciation of the situation on the island.
It’s not the first time that this type of video has generated a wave of reactions. Other Cuban women have experienced similar moments, and in some cases, the reunion with the packages has ended in tears, like when a woman was moved to tears upon receiving a gift from her daughter.
The context driving these videos is devastating.
According to data from the Food Monitor Program of May 2026, 96% of Cubans have lost their purchasing power for food, national agricultural production has fallen by 67% in five years, and the country imports about 80% of what it consumes.
Power outages further worsen the situation: they impact food preparation in 80.4% of Cuban households, according to data from last Monday.
In light of this reality, the demand for shipments of food, medicine, and generators from Miami has surged, according to recent reports.
Karen closed her video with an invitation to the community: "let me know in the comments what you would change about this purchase or what you would add," a question that, for thousands of Cubans abroad, is far from rhetorical.
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