A Cuban man known online as "Soy El Kielo" shared a brief 17-second video on Facebook, starkly highlighting the island's energy crisis. The clip captures him gathering discarded wood from a neighbor to ignite a fire and prepare meals.
In the video, he candidly displays the materials he managed to acquire and straightforwardly explains: "Look at this, just to be able to cook... the neighbor was throwing away some wood from the roof, so I asked for it."
Shared under the hashtag #RealidadCubana, the video joins a growing collection of posts documenting how millions of Cubans are reverting to cooking methods reminiscent of past centuries.
This isn't the first time the content creator has documented such realities. On March 28, 2026, he uploaded another video depicting a makeshift stove constructed from stones and logs, captioned "Cuba, year 2026: we're almost like indigenous people now," a phrase that has ironically become popular among Cubans to describe the regression enforced by the energy crisis.
The situation is far from isolated. In 2026, many Cubans have to rely on firewood, charcoal, sawdust, or any combustible material they can find to cook their meals. Liquefied gas, when available, is sold in dollars, a currency out of reach for those earning in Cuban pesos. Charcoal is considered nearly impossible to find in many areas of the country.
Behind this scarcity lies the collapse of the Cuban electrical system. Power outages range from 22 to 36 hours daily in several provinces, with Cuba experiencing eight nationwide blackouts in 24 months, five of which occurred in 2026 alone. In May of that year, the generation deficit exceeded 2,113 MW, setting an annual record, compared to a demand of 3,000 MW.
Gathering wood isn't solely an adult task. Previous reports indicate that children must collect wood before attending school, and daycare centers have resorted to cooking with wood or sawdust to feed the children. This practice has also accelerated deforestation in various parts of the island.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel himself urged the population to cook with wood and charcoal, effectively acknowledging the collapse of the energy system that the regime has managed for decades. Updating this infrastructure, according to estimates, would require between 8,000 and 10,000 million dollars and a minimum timeframe of three to five years, offering little comfort to those currently scavenging for wood to eat.
Understanding Cuba's Energy Crisis
Why are Cubans resorting to firewood and charcoal for cooking?
Cubans are turning to firewood and charcoal due to the severe energy crisis marked by frequent power outages and the unavailability of affordable cooking gas.
What has caused the collapse of Cuba's electrical system?
The collapse is attributed to outdated infrastructure, insufficient maintenance, and a lack of investment, resulting in significant generation deficits and frequent blackouts.
How is the energy crisis affecting daily life in Cuba?
The crisis has forced many Cubans to revert to primitive cooking methods, disrupted daily routines, and exacerbated deforestation as people search for alternative fuels.