A Cuban woman living in Europe took to TikTok on Tuesday to vent her frustration about the harsh conditions her family faces back in Cuba. She highlighted severe 20-hour daily blackouts, a three-month shortage of domestic gas, and difficulties in sending money from Europe to support her relatives.
Identified as @karolina33besties, she describes the electricity situation in Havana as "a lost cause," with only four hours of power each day and no set schedule, leaving families unable to plan even their meals.
Additionally, her local area has been without gas for three months. "At least in my municipality, it's been three months without gas, forcing people to cook with charcoal," she explains. This makeshift solution, involving makeshift stoves built from bricks and other household materials, complicates the preparation of basic Cuban meals like rice and beans.
"Cooking with charcoal in Cuba is madness," she exclaims in the video, emphasizing the difficulty of preparing traditional Cuban dishes this way.
Before the gas ran out, she resorted to paying €50 for a gas cylinder on the black market. Recently, she managed to help her father through a digital shipping service, purchasing a 10 kg cylinder for €25 plus €6 for delivery, under the condition of returning the empty container. "With €31, I was able to buy gas for my dad, which he receives today," she notes. However, she acknowledges that not everyone has this option: "Unfortunately, some people don't have this choice and have to struggle with charcoal. It's heartbreaking."
What angers her most is the stark contrast between the scarcity on the streets and the abundance on sales platforms catering to the Cuban diaspora. "When you check the sites to buy food, gas, and appliances to send to Cuba, everything is available and reaches homes in less than two days. How can there be everything online but nothing on the streets?" she questions.
This paradox is compounded by another setback: PostePay, a service widely used by Cubans in Italy and other European countries to deposit money onto MLC cards, has ceased operations. This closure follows the withdrawal of Visa and Mastercard services through FINCIMEX, effective June 6, 2026, severing a vital remittance channel for many European emigrants.
"I don't know how to send money to Cuba now," she laments. "Does anyone have information on how to send money since PostePay no longer works?" she asks at the end of the video, without receiving any answers.
Her testimony coincides with Cuba's worst energy crisis in history. On June 26, 2026, the electricity deficit hit a record 2,208 MW, with only 1,065 MW available versus a demand of 3,200 MW. Moreover, Cuba has gone four months without receiving Venezuelan oil, with 106 distributed generation plants halted and 890 MW out of service.
"There's nothing for the people—no gas, no food, nothing," she summarizes. "With €100 or €150, you can't buy anything at all. Prices are sky-high. What a lack of respect."
Understanding Cuba's Current Crisis
Why are there extended blackouts in Havana?
The blackouts result from a critical electricity deficit, with supply far below the demand due to infrastructure issues and lack of resources.
What alternatives do Cubans have for cooking given the gas shortage?
Many have resorted to using charcoal stoves built from household materials, though this method is cumbersome and inefficient for preparing traditional meals.
How has the removal of Visa and Mastercard services through FINCIMEX affected Cubans?
This has significantly disrupted the ability of Cuban emigrants to send money back home, complicating financial support for families on the island.