A tour through a popular market in La Güinera, located in the Havana municipality of Arroyo Naranjo, once again revealed the face of the economic crisis that Cubans are experiencing. The Instagram user @yusdanmartinez shared a video showcasing the prices of various essential products and admitted to being "stunned" after doing his shopping.
"Today I went to La Güinera and I was astonished by the prices. I had no other choice, but I had to look for what I needed," comments the young man at the beginning of the recording, which has over 1,100 "likes" and has accumulated more than a hundred comments.
But beyond the prices, it was the message that accompanied the video that caught attention. "Utopia was far from this horizon, since every time I opened my wallet, everything diminished," he wrote, in a clear reference to the statements made by Miguel Díaz-Canel during an interview granted on July 20th to RT en Español.
The phrase was widely criticized and gave rise to numerous memes and ironic comments on social media, where many Cubans interpreted it as an evasive response to the economic deterioration the country is experiencing.
The prices that outrage
During their visit to the market, @yusdanmartinez showcased the prices of several essential items:
Powder detergent (500 grams): 750 pesos.
Rice: 680 pesos per kilogram.
Tomato paste: 510 pesos.
A bottle of bleach: 750 pesos.
Liquid detergent: 450 pesos.
Two laundry soaps: 260 pesos.
A bottle of oil: 2,600 pesos.
This last product illustrates the significant decline in purchasing power on the island. Its price amounts to about 81% of the monthly minimum wage, which increased from 2,100 to 3,210 pesos on July 1, 2026.
"Original, original"... beware of scams
In addition to documenting prices, the young man took the opportunity to warn other buyers about common practices among some sellers.
"Be cautious of the one who says 'original, original.' Watch out for that. It may be original, but they repeat it too many times. Put your spurs on so you don’t get swindled," he advised in a carefree tone.
He also joked about the impossibility of making a profit by reselling products purchased in those markets.
"You can no longer come to buy to resell," she said with a laugh.
A reality that surpasses the official narrative
The video comes in a context of severe economic decline.
According to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), the year-on-year inflation in Cuba reached 18.27% in June 2026. At the same time, several economists estimate that a family needs tens of thousands of pesos per month to cover their basic expenses, a figure significantly higher than state salaries.
While the government attempts to defend its administration and minimize the criticisms that arose after Díaz-Canel's statement about the "utopia", publications like @yusdanmartinez continue to gather views and comments by humorously and ironically reflecting the daily struggles of thousands of Cubans.
The content creator concluded his journey with a phrase that sums up the tone of the video: "I bought my peanut bar to keep my jaw active."
A way to laugh at a reality that, for many on the island, remains far from any utopia.
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