While a significant portion of the Cuban population lacks adequate access to food, a new generation of digital content creators showcases beautifully presented dishes, luxury cafes, and gourmet experiences on social media.
The organization Food Monitor Program (FMP) published an analysis on Cuban food influencers, highlighting the ethical, psychological, and social implications of this phenomenon amid the worst food crisis the island has faced in decades.
According to data from FMP and the organization Cuido60, 96.91% of the Cuban population lacks adequate access to food, and in 2025, one in three households —33.9%— reported that at least one member went to bed hungry in the past 30 days, an increase of 9.3 percentage points compared to 2024.
In that same context, five provinces are at a critical level of food insecurity: Havana, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Guantánamo, and Santiago de Cuba.
The FMP describes the phenomenon as a "cognitive dissonance" that affects the average viewer: videos of private restaurants and high-cost paladares—whose dishes cost the equivalent of several days' minimum wage—circulate on the same platforms where millions of Cubans search for survival recipes.
"The report states, 'Food has ceased to be a social pleasure and has become a logistical survival challenge for many.'"
The organization warns that the algorithms of Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are not designed to reflect social reality, but to maximize user engagement.
"The algorithm does not distinguish between showcasing a lifestyle and promoting an unattainable fantasy; it only detects that visually appealing content generates more clicks," points out the FMP, an effect that the analysis describes as "digital gaslighting" or digital distortion of reality.
Drawing on the theory of social psychologist Leon Festinger, the analysis points out that constant comparison with individuals of higher purchasing power—in a country where social mobility is blocked—does not create aspiration, but rather frustration, low self-esteem, and depression.
"The contrast between the 'self' that struggles for basic necessities and the 'other' digital self that enjoys gourmet experiences creates a dissonance that erodes the mental health of the population, turning digital entertainment into a mechanism of involuntary psychological punishment," concludes the FMP.
The report also notes that many of these creators receive free meals or direct payments for reviewing establishments without disclosing it, turning their posts into covert advertising.
The influencer Flavia Blanco, questioned by a follower about how she feels promoting places that are inaccessible to most, replied: "I feel good. The situation in the country, the dollar inflation, and the prices of restaurants are not set by me, greetings and blessings."
The FMP also identifies a dichotomy in the language of Cuban culinary content: while luxury influencers speak of "gourmet experience," "perfect pairing," or "flawless presentation," creators documenting scarcity use expressions like "what yields," "at what price," or "the daily struggle."
In summary, they are two parallel universes that coexist on the same platforms and reflect the social fracture of the island.
The organization acknowledges that there are also exceptions among content creators: Ydalgo Martínez organizes solidarity lunches for elderly individuals in need, a model that the FMP points out as an example of responsible use of the platforms.
The analysis concludes that the solution does not lie in censorship, but in responsibility.
“Omitting the crisis of hunger and poverty in digital discourse is not just a niche choice, but an act of making the national reality invisible,” says the FMP, which urges creators to declare their paid collaborations, include popular culinary culture, and highlight food security in their content.
The context in which this debate arises is devastating: a recent survey revealed that one in three Cuban households is hungry, and 80% of Cubans believe that the current crisis is worse than the Special Period following the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
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