A heart-wrenching video of a Cuban man breaking down in tears has gone viral on Facebook, as he passionately pleads for urgent change amidst the island's humanitarian crisis. In the video, he implores, "Give me back what I had, give me back my Cuba."
The 51-second clip was shared by the page "El creador cubano," under the headline "My Cuba needs urgent change before it's too late. People can't take it anymore." It quickly garnered over 622,000 views, 47,661 likes, and 4,034 comments on the social network.
With visible emotion, he cries out, "People are starving, people are in need. Asere, I just ask to be heard, man."
His message is clear and urgent: "My Cuba is crying, my Cuba is dying, Asere. Do something to change this, Asere. It breaks my heart."
The video concludes with a plea that has strongly resonated with the Cuban diaspora, especially in Miami: "And do we stay like this? Surely I will never have a friend like that again. Give me back what I had, give me back my Cuba. Give me back my Cuba."
This testimony emerges amidst a surge of similar videos that have shaken social media in recent weeks.
Voices of Despair Emerge Amidst Crisis
Last Tuesday, a grandmother named Marta appeared in another viral clip, crying inconsolably as she decried six decades of dictatorship and the hunger preventing mothers from giving milk or bread to their children: "How many desperate mothers don't have a glass of milk or bread to give their children. Get those bandits out of there," she exclaimed.
In March, another heart-wrenching video showed a mother cooking with charcoal during a prolonged blackout while her children cried with hunger, repeating, "Mom, I'm hungry."
A Dire Situation Documented
These testimonies depict a reality documented by the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH): 80% of Cubans consider the current situation worse than the Special Period of the 1990s. Seven out of ten Cubans skip one of the three daily meals due to financial constraints or food shortages, with this figure rising to eight out of ten among those over 61 years old.
Extreme poverty affects 89% of the population, and the food crisis is the primary concern for 72% of respondents. The energy collapse exacerbates the situation: some provinces endure blackouts lasting up to 20 hours a day, worsened by the disruption of Venezuelan crude oil supplies.
Ninety-nine percent of Cuban retirees assert that their pensions—set at a minimum of 4,000 Cuban pesos, equivalent to less than ten dollars in the informal exchange—do not meet their basic needs.
Protests and Unrest Reflect Growing Discontent
Desperation has overflowed into social media and the streets: in March, residents staged cacerolazos in Havana's Palatino neighborhood and blocked streets in El Cerro due to the lack of water.
According to OCDH data, 78% of Cubans wish to emigrate, in a context where the regime led by Díaz-Canel offers no solutions to the crisis it has exacerbated through years of mismanagement and reliance on allies like Venezuela and Russia.
Understanding Cuba's Humanitarian Crisis
What is causing the humanitarian crisis in Cuba?
The crisis is a result of decades of economic mismanagement, dependency on foreign allies, and the government's inability to address basic needs such as food and energy supplies.
How are Cubans reacting to the current situation?
Many Cubans are expressing their frustration and desperation through social media and public protests, calling for urgent change and solutions to the crisis.
What actions are being taken to address the crisis?
Currently, there is little indication of effective measures being implemented by the Cuban government to alleviate the crisis, leading to increased public discontent and calls for change.