A video shared on Facebook by Yudith Parra Velázquez has taken the internet by storm this week, amassing over 166,000 views. The clip captures Yudith enthusiastically filming her brother-in-law roasting what she proudly describes as a "50-pound pig," although the camera reveals a noticeably small animal cooking over the coals.
The brief 47-second video begins with Yudith excitedly exclaiming, "Oh my God, when I upload this... here, roasting a pig. Look at this pig. This is a 50-pound pig."
The video concludes with a telling statement: "There, my brother-in-law is roasting it. This is what hunger does. Look."
Hundreds of people chimed in with comments on the reel: one suggested the man was roasting a fetus; another guessed it was a hutia, and a third assumed the piglet died at birth.
A young man jokingly remarked, "That meat will last all year."
"At least he managed to have a meal that day, that's what matters most," one user noted.
"I don't think you'll have enough firewood to finish roasting it," another quipped.
The Stark Reality Behind the Laughter
The humor, intentional or not, lies in the stark contrast between the celebratory tone and the harsh reality of what's actually on the grill. Yet, beneath the laughter is a far grimmer story.
Traditionally, pork was a staple on Cuban tables, but today it is almost a luxury item. Between 2017 and 2023, pork production in Cuba plummeted by 95.2%, which economist Pedro Monreal bluntly described as a "national tragedy."
In the black market, a pound of pork now costs over 1,400 Cuban pesos, compared to a state minimum wage of merely 2,100 CUP per month. Back in 2018, the same pound was only 50 pesos, marking an increase of over 2,700% in less than a decade.
Yudith's video is not an isolated incident. Earlier in January, another clip surfaced showing Cuban farmers roasting a rodent for their New Year's Eve dinner. The comments on social media were telling: "It's painful to eat that on New Year's Eve because there's nothing else," one user lamented. "It's sad, but that's the reality for many," another added.
A Nation Struggling to Feed Itself
The statistics behind these images paint a devastating picture. An astounding 96.91% of the Cuban population lacks adequate access to food. Only 15% manage to eat three meals a day, while 25% go to bed without dinner. Deaths due to malnutrition surged by 74.42% between 2022 and 2023, as reported by the National Office of Statistics and Information.
A staggering 78% of surveyed Cubans believe the current crisis is worse than the Special Period of the 1990s, with 89% of families living in extreme poverty.
Thus, what might be a humorous family barbecue anecdote elsewhere becomes an uncomfortable reflection in Cuba: celebrating whatever is available, because, as Yudith puts it, "this is what hunger does."
The Impact of Food Scarcity in Cuba
Why is pork considered a luxury in Cuba?
Pork has become a luxury in Cuba due to a dramatic 95.2% decrease in production between 2017 and 2023, coupled with soaring prices on the black market.
How has the food crisis affected Cuban families?
The food crisis has left 96.91% of Cubans without adequate food access, with only 15% having three meals a day, and a significant rise in malnutrition-related deaths.
What is the current perception of the crisis among Cubans?
Most Cubans believe the current crisis is more severe than the Special Period of the 1990s, with 89% of families living in extreme poverty.