A Cuban grandmother recently experienced a wave of pure joy when her relative, living abroad, brought her chicharrones in Cuba. The brief 23-second video, shared on TikTok by Lisaris García (@lisaris_garod) yesterday, encapsulates the grandmother's overwhelming happiness upon tasting a treat that has, for many Cubans, become an unattainable luxury.
In the clip, the elderly woman can be heard saying, “softly but not just one, give me two,” indicating her delight and insatiable craving for more chicharrones.
Bringing chicharrones from abroad carries significant weight in Cuba today, both emotionally and materially. The island's pork production has plummeted from 200,000 tons to a mere 9,000 tons, a decline acknowledged by the regime itself in April 2025.
This sharp decrease has directly influenced prices: by late 2024, a pound of pork in the informal market had soared past 1,400 Cuban pesos, compared to just 16 pesos in previous times. A pensioner from Santiago de Cuba bluntly put it in December of that year: “chicharrones are a thing of the past.”
Economic Struggles and Creative Solutions
Official prices offer no respite either. A pound of pork shoulder in Havana rose from 580 pesos in December 2023 to 980 pesos in February 2025, marking a staggering 68.9% increase in a little over a year, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information.
Amid scarcity, many Cubans have turned to alternative recipes, such as "cassava peel chicharrones," documented on social media since late 2023, or "beanless congrí," adaptations illustrating the depth of the food crisis.
The Emotional Impact of TikTok Reunions
Lisaris García’s video is part of a growing trend on TikTok, where Cuban expatriates returning to the island document emotion-filled family reunions, often featuring gifts and food brought from abroad. A reunion of a Cuban living in Uruguay with his mother garnered over 407,100 views this month, while another parent reuniting with his children after six years accumulated 261,000 views by July 2025.
This surge in videos highlights both the scale of the Cuban migration wave, particularly intense from 2021 to 2024, and the severe scarcity faced by those who remain on the island. Even cooking has become more challenging due to prolonged blackouts and the shortage of liquefied gas, pushing many to revert to using wood stoves and 1980s-era cookers.
In this setting, the grandmother's reaction to savoring a chicharrón is more than just a tender moment: it is a poignant illustration of what scarcity means for millions of Cubans who have been unable to access foods that were once staples in their daily lives.
Understanding Cuba's Scarcity and Migration Issues
Why are chicharrones considered a luxury in Cuba now?
Due to a drastic decline in pork production on the island, chicharrones have become scarce and expensive, making them a luxury for many Cubans.
How has the Cuban pork industry changed recently?
Cuba's pork production has collapsed from 200,000 tons to just 9,000 tons, significantly impacting the availability and price of pork products like chicharrones.
What solutions are Cubans finding to deal with food scarcity?
Cubans have turned to creative recipes, such as making chicharrones from cassava peels and preparing beanless congrí, to cope with the ongoing food crisis.