A content creator from Cuba, known on Instagram as LA_OSVI D'CUBA, has captured widespread attention with a viral reel. In this video, he humorously "demonstrates" how to keep a freezer cold with just two hours of electricity per day—a reality faced by some neighborhoods on the island, when they receive power at all.
The initial disclaimer, "Don't mind the dripping," refers to the water pooling commonly seen in Haier-brand refrigerators distributed during Cuba's "Energy Revolution." These appliances, notorious for their leaks, often failed to function properly even during times of sufficient electrical supply.
As he humorously describes the steps for maintaining a cold freezer with such limited power, he pauses after the first instruction, exclaiming, "I can't believe people are still waiting for the end of this video."
With a heavy dose of sarcasm, he opens the fridge, dubbing it a "relic" and an "ornament," and delivers a line that encapsulates the daily frustration of countless Cubans: "This is a relic, you know it's just an ornament, it isn't used." The fridge no longer cools anything, leaving its owner to resort to "drinking warm water and going on a diet."
While the tone is one of dark humor, the underlying issue is a severe power crisis. Outages have reached unprecedented lengths. In early November, some circuits in Havana experienced over 52 consecutive hours without power. In Playa, outages exceeded 20 hours daily over the weekend. In Santiago de Cuba, residents reported nearly 24-hour blackouts on Friday, with the electric company admitting it couldn't guarantee "even one or two hours of electricity daily" for some neighborhoods.
In this context, empty or defrosted refrigerators have become a common theme in Cuban social media humor. On Saturday, actor Mario Sardiñas—known as "Chequera" on the show Vivir del Cuento—mocked the power outages as the "quitaypón virus." On Sunday, an elderly woman named Lina Hernández shared a parody of the Literacy Campaign Anthem with the lyrics "Cuba: hunger, misery, blackout," which has been viewed over 360,000 times.
Understanding Cuba's Electrical Crisis
What is causing the extended power outages in Cuba?
The extended power outages in Cuba are primarily due to the failing infrastructure and lack of resources to maintain and repair the electrical grid.
How are Cubans coping with the lack of electricity?
Cubans are using humor and social media to cope with the lack of electricity, sharing jokes and parodies about the situation to express their frustration and resilience.