Alexei Pérez Mesa, the culinary content creator better known as "Cocina Con Ale," boasts a following of over 200,000 on Facebook. Recently, he shared what he calls his "most personal reel," stepping away from his usual recipes to pose a singular, heartfelt question: "Until when?"
The video, lasting one minute and 36 seconds, opens with a powerful statement: "I believe that the happiness button for Cubans has been gradually turned off. Amidst so many shortages and power outages, happiness sometimes seems too expensive."
Pérez Mesa outright rejects the notion that Cubans can treat their situation with humor: "There's nothing funny about going five days without electricity. Nor is there any humor in the constant fear of losing the little you've managed to acquire. There's no joke in that."
He vividly describes the daily burden of the crisis: he set up a small coffee station in his kitchen with great enthusiasm, dreaming of enjoying it with friends. Yet today, it stands as mere decor, just like so many other things he purchased with excitement but can no longer enjoy.
The disparity between fleeting moments of joy and the harsh reality at home is captured when he says, "When I come back to my house and am met with darkness, with dim streets and weary faces along the way, I feel any happiness I had is left behind."
This video surfaces amid Cuba's ongoing electrical crisis, which has seen eight complete collapses of the National Electric System in 2026, the latest on September 18, leaving roughly nine million people without power.
Pérez Mesa also addresses those who accuse him of living in a "bubble" by publishing recipes while the country plunges deeper into crisis: "My recipes aren't a way to pretend everything's fine. On the contrary, they've been my way of finding a bit of happiness amidst all this, of finding work, of continuing to dream."
His exhaustion is supported by stark statistics: a study released last May revealed that 55.4% of surveyed adults experienced extremely severe depression, 66% severe anxiety, and 83% hopelessness or lack of motivation, directly linked to the energy crisis.
The influencer concludes his message with a statement that captures the widespread fatigue: "Cubans shouldn't have to be strong all the time. We also deserve to live, not just survive."
Understanding the Crisis in Cuba: Key Questions
What is the main message of Alexei Pérez Mesa's video?
The main message is a poignant question, "Until when?" reflecting the deep frustrations and struggles faced by Cubans due to ongoing shortages and power outages.
How does Pérez Mesa describe the impact of the crisis on his daily life?
He describes setting up a coffee station with enthusiasm, which now stands unused, symbolizing the unfulfilled dreams and hardships of everyday life in Cuba.
What statistics underscore the psychological impact of the crisis in Cuba?
A study shows that a significant percentage of adults experience extremely severe depression, severe anxiety, and a lack of motivation, directly linked to the energy crisis.