A video recorded on the Malecón in Havana has once again highlighted the ingenuity with which many Cubans cope with scarcity. In the footage, a fisherman demonstrates how he uses inflated condoms as floats to carry the hook out to sea, a crafty technique that has astonished thousands of users on social media.
The video, posted on Facebook by content creator Camila Carballo, has garnered nearly 260,000 views and more than 10,000 reactions, along with hundreds of comments that blend admiration, humor, and concern for the hardships faced by the country.
The protagonist is a fisherman known in the area as "Javier el de la Timba" or "el Chino," who is identified by several locals as one of the most experienced in the Havana waterfront.
"I am someone who, most of the times I come fishing, almost always catches a good fish. And the guys won't let me lie," he says before revealing the secret of his method: "We fish with a condom."
This is how the technique works
The system involves inflating several condoms, connecting them to create an improvised buoy, and attaching them to a fishing line with a hook and bait.
When the wind blows from land to sea, the condoms act like small sails that drag the line hundreds of meters offshore, allowing the hook to be placed in areas where it is possible to catch species like snapper and cubera, which are inaccessible from the shore without a boat.
"When he goes out there, I pull the line, it goes to the balloon, and the meat stays at the bottom," Javier explains in the video.
Although this method surprised many users, it is not new and has been documented since 2016 and covered by international media such as CBS News. At that time, it was reported that inflated condoms could carry the fishing line up to 300 meters from the shore.
Several fishermen also mentioned that they have been using this technique for decades. One of them claimed to have fished that way more than 40 years ago in front of the restaurant 1830, in Vedado.
A paradox in the midst of scarcity
What has particularly caught attention this time is that the video is circulating at a moment when condoms have almost disappeared from Cuban state pharmacies.
This month, independent media reported on the shortage of condoms in much of the country, forcing many Cubans to turn to the informal market, where a single unit can exceed 100 Cuban pesos.
The contradiction did not go unnoticed among internet users.
"You won't be able to fish anymore because there are no condoms left," commented a user.
Another joked, "Bro, with how expensive condoms are, you might as well buy a drone."
The shortage of condoms in Cuba is not a recent issue. For years, organizations and specialized media have been warning about the supply shortage, a situation that experts have linked to increased risks of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
Beyond the jokes, most reactions highlighted the Cuban people's ability to find creative solutions in the face of everyday challenges.
"The Cuban drone," summarized a user in one of the most shared comments.
Another wrote: "The creativity of Cubans is unmatched in the world. That's why we survive in any circumstance; we know what it's like to hit rock bottom."
Fishing from the Malecón has been a part of the Havana landscape for over a century. For some, it remains a tradition and a gathering space; for others, amidst the economic crisis that the country is facing, it has become a way to bring food to the table.
However, some users also questioned the environmental impact of the practice, noting that used condoms as floats can end up in the sea. One commenter even recalled that this technique is banned in Puerto Rico precisely because of the waste it leaves in the marine ecosystem.
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