The character Chequera from the Cuban comedy series "Vivir del Cuento" recently shared a reel on Facebook, highlighting three traditional sayings that, in his view, have lost their relevance in the Cuba of 2026: "a sleeping shrimp is carried away by the current," "let the water flow if you’re not going to drink it," and "put on a brave face in tough times."
"If you ask me right now, 'Cheque, which sayings are no longer used in Cuba?' Easy," begins the character in the video, delivering with irony a list that rings true for millions of Cubans, reflecting their everyday struggles rather than just a joke.
The sketch, performed by actor Mario Sardiñas, has garnered over 64,000 views.
The video’s punchline is particularly sharp. When a woman in the video reminds him of the third saying, Chequera retorts, "But honey, what kind of brave face can you have with things the way they are now, darling? Find someone on the street with a brave face. Well, unless they get the power or the water turned on."
The humor lies in a clever double entendre: the first two sayings refer to electricity and water, two essential resources that are in critically short supply in the country. The third suggests maintaining a good attitude in adversity, which seems almost naive, given that the "tough times" for Cubans appear never-ending.
Chequera’s Satirical Take on Daily Hardships
In recent months, Chequera has released videos focusing on the energy crisis and daily shortages. In April, he "traveled to the Moon" to escape 16-hour power outages, though the mission was "aborted" because "the spaceship's fuel was stolen."
In May, he awarded diplomas to the most affected electric blocks. By July, he simplified the block system to just two categories: "block without power" and "block with power."
On August 22, he turned the "kitipón" phenomenon—four-hour power cuts with only ten minutes of electricity—into a viral song that surpassed 20,000 views.
The grim reality Chequera humorously depicts is one that Cubans endure daily. This year, the National Electric System has experienced seven total collapses, with a maximum generation deficit of 2,411 MW recorded on August 4.
The water crisis is directly tied to the electricity issues: 87% of the water supply system relies on the electrical grid, so power outages stop the pumps, leaving people without water. As of May, about 2.7 million Cubans lack regular access to drinking water, and nearly 10 million receive it intermittently.
Understanding Cuba's Energy and Water Crisis
Why have traditional sayings lost relevance in Cuba?
Traditional sayings have lost relevance because they no longer reflect the harsh realities of daily life in Cuba, where basic resources like electricity and water are scarce.
What does the term "kitipón" refer to?
"Kitipón" refers to a cycle of power cuts where there are four hours of electricity outage followed by only ten minutes of electricity supply.
How are the water and energy crises connected in Cuba?
The water crisis is linked to the energy crisis because the majority of the water supply system depends on electricity. When power outages occur, water pumps stop working, leaving people without water.