Cuban comedian Mario Sardiñas, famous for his character Chequera on the show "Vivir del Cuento," recently shared a 57-second reel on Facebook that quickly gained traction as one of the week's most talked-about videos. In this skit, Chequera turns to virtual assistant Siri to solve a pressing question in Cuba: What exactly makes the oil so expensive?
The sketch begins with Chequera and a friend scrutinizing a bottle's label. They find the nutritional information—23 grams of saturated fat, 28 grams of polyunsaturated fat, and 27 grams of monounsaturated fat—unconvincing. "Come on, Cheque, don't be stubborn, buddy," the friend insists. Chequera retorts, "This must contain something inside; it's outrageously expensive," before suggesting they ask Siri for the ultimate answer.
True to form, Siri delivers. When posed with the question, "Siri, what's in the oil sold in Cuba today?" the response is immediate: "That oil consists of 367 grams of 18-karat gold, 350 grams of platinum, and 200 grams of silver."
"See! There you go!" Chequera exclaims, followed by the video's most applauded quip: "And be glad I didn't ask about pork, because with today's pork prices, if I inquire, it'll be diamond, ruby, emerald, precious stones..."
The video has surpassed 200,000 views and garnered over 9,600 reactions. Comments ranged from laughter to outrage: one user humorously suggested asking Siri about electricity, another joked that the oil might contain "rare earths," and someone else sarcastically asked, "Where can I buy this oil to get rich?"
The High Cost of Living in Cuba
Chequera's humor doesn't arise from nowhere. The skyrocketing cost of oil in Cuba is rooted in specific decisions: The Ministry of Finance and Prices' Resolution 150/2026, published on June 20 in the Official Gazette, removed national price caps on several imported foods, including edible oils—except olive oil—lifting the previous cap of 990 pesos per liter.
In April, oil was priced around 1,500 pesos per liter, climbing to 2,500 in Havana by July, and continuing to soar in August with reports of prices hitting 4,000 pesos per liter, and some bottles being sold for as much as 7,000 pesos.
Pork, another product Chequera jokes about consulting Siri on, hasn't fared any better: it was priced between 1,400 and 1,900 pesos per pound in Havana's informal markets this month. In June, the Minister of the Food Industry, Alberto López Díaz, admitted that the rationed family basket hadn't distributed oil, chicken, or yogurt throughout the year.
Chequera's video adds to a wave of public reactions to the crisis. Poet Sindy Manuel Torres recently went viral with a décima about frying an egg being "an ostentation" and "a crime." A Cuban mother shared on social media that she cooked an egg in boiling water due to the lack of oil: "I've never done this in my life... how much longer, God. [...] The sad reality." Meanwhile, Tiendas Caribe sparked outrage by offering oil combos for about 12 dollars, payable only with a Classic Card.
As the regime lifted oil prices while wages remained stagnant, one Cuban declared an "oil strike" in response to prices reaching up to 7,000 pesos per liter—a figure Siri could only rationally explain in karats.
Understanding the Oil Price Surge in Cuba
Why has the price of oil in Cuba skyrocketed?
The price surge is largely due to the removal of national price caps on imported foods, including edible oils, by the Ministry of Finance and Prices. This decision has allowed prices to rise unchecked.
What impact has this had on Cuban consumers?
The escalating costs have made essential items like oil and pork unaffordable for many, leading to public outcry and creative expressions of protest through humor and social media.
How has the Cuban government responded to the oil price crisis?
Despite the price hikes, the government has yet to implement measures that effectively address the crisis, maintaining the lifted price caps while wages have not increased accordingly.