In Cuba, a digital persona named Ramona Morejón is using humor to shed light on some of the most pressing issues affecting everyday life on the island. From skyrocketing prices of basic goods like oil and eggs to frequent power outages, currency devaluation, and sugar shortages, Ramona transforms these harsh realities into comedic narratives.
Through a series of satirical letters posted on the Instagram account @al_blanco95, this fictional character offers a humorous yet poignant take on the economic crisis impacting millions of Cubans.
Turning Scarcity into Comedy Gold
"This crisis needs a sense of humor," Ramona declares, turning each shortage into a sharp critique of contemporary Cuba. In one letter focusing on the market, she humorously illustrates how oil has become a luxury item for many families.
"The oil got up before us, exercised, studied economics, and ended up with a price that seems like it flew in on a private jet. Yesterday it was one price, and today it's four times higher. That's not inflation; that's oil getting a degree in speed," she quips.
The humor underscores a serious issue. Reports indicate that the price of oil, which was around 1,500 Cuban pesos (CUP) in April, had soared to between 4,000 and 7,000 CUP by August in various provinces.
The Eggconomics of Cuba
Eggs, too, are part of Ramona's satirical economy. In Santiago de Cuba, prices as high as 7,500 CUP for a carton of 30 eggs have been reported, transforming the act of buying them into another comedic scene.
"You used to buy a carton and feel like you were feeding the family. Now, buying a carton feels like making a long-term investment. At this rate, we'll need to keep them in a safe and ask the bank's permission to fry an omelet," she jokes.
Smart Shadows: A New Era in Power Outages
Ramona also targets the Cuban government's responses to the crisis. One example is Miguel Díaz-Canel's suggestion of using artificial intelligence to ensure a fairer distribution of power outages, a proposal that sparked widespread mockery online.
She imagines living under this new technological system: "Now we'll have planned, elegant outages with technology. Maybe we'll even get a phone notification: 'Dear citizen, your darkness will begin at 7 PM. Thank you for trusting our smart shadows system.'
Despite the serious energy crisis causing six total blackouts in 2026 and prolonged power cuts in many provinces, the humor highlights the irony of using AI in a system struggling to keep the lights on.
Currency Crisis: Millions That Buy Less and Less
The national currency is another focus of Ramona's letters. She sarcastically illustrates the declining purchasing power of the Cuban peso, requiring families to carry large sums of cash for minimal purchases.
"Today, you need a backpack full of money to come back with a small bag of goods or a bottle of oil," she laments.
Yet, it's another line that captures the currency's decline: "The saddest part isn’t having millions of pesos. The saddest part is having millions of pesos and finding nothing to buy."
Supporting this satire are hard figures: The dollar reached 673 CUP on the informal market on August 8, while the minimum monthly wage stands at 3,210 CUP. The official annual inflation rate was 18.27% in June, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI).
Sugar: A Fading Memory
Not even sugar, once synonymous with Cuba, escapes Ramona's universe. The collapse of the sugar industry has led the government to promote alternatives like stevia, and Ramona takes this reality to an absurd level.
"Soon, coffee won’t have sugar but sugar aroma. Sweetness will be a spiritual experience. You'll taste it and say: it’s not sweet, but I remember when things were sweet."
This joke highlights the economic decline of a country historically known for sugar production, turning this staple into another consumer headache.
Laughter as a Coping Mechanism
Ramona Morejón joins a longstanding Cuban tradition of using humor to cope with situations that might otherwise be hard to believe. Amid the current crisis, social media has amplified this resource. Creators like Loky Kubah, whose video on the "impossible arithmetic" of wages and prices garnered over 1.4 million views, or comedian Otto Ortiz, who recently mocked the high cost of oil, have turned economic hardships into material for satire.
The approach is consistent: exaggerate a reality already riddled with absurdity. Behind jokes about eggs stored in safes, oils with "university careers," and outages managed by "smart shadows," lie the daily struggles of millions: insufficient wages, inflation, scarcity, power outages, and a currency losing value.
Perhaps that's why one of Ramona's final lines resonates with so many Cubans: "If we don't laugh, who will understand this extreme sport of trying to make it to the end of the month?"
Understanding Cuba's Economic Satire
Why is humor used to depict Cuba's economic crisis?
Humor serves as a coping mechanism, allowing individuals to process and critique difficult realities in a way that makes them more approachable and less overwhelming.
How does Ramona Morejón highlight the economic issues in Cuba?
Through satirical letters and exaggerated scenarios, Ramona uses humor to draw attention to the soaring prices, shortages, and declining value of the Cuban peso.
What are some examples of the economic challenges faced by Cubans?
Examples include high prices for basic goods like oil and eggs, frequent power outages, and a currency that has significantly lost its purchasing power.