(MINSK) – During a visit to a fast-food restaurant in Minsk, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko suggested renaming the Americano coffee to a more “Belarusian” brand.
The remark, made while observing a self-service ordering machine, quickly sparked online discussion. In Belarus, even minor comments from the leader can influence official policy.
Observers note that Lukashenko’s intervention in branding is not unprecedented. In previous years, he criticised the names of several universities and departments, prompting rapid changes to reflect more Soviet-style or Belarusianised titles.
During the fast-food visit, staff demonstrated the ordering machine and an Americano was ordered. Lukashenko interrupted, stating the drink should carry a Belarusian name immediately, while keeping the original name in brackets temporarily. He did not propose a specific replacement.
Colleagues suggested options including “Belarusano,” a literal translation “low concentration coffee beverage,” and “Black Russian.” Comments online were also invited to crowdsource ideas.
During a visit to a fast-food restaurant in Minsk, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko turned an ordinary coffee order into a political moment. He sugested the drink should be renamed to something more “Belarusian.” What sounded like a casual remark quickly sparked discussion online – because in Belarus, even small comments from the president can become official policy. Join Benjamin Lee to see new suggestions for renaming the venerable americano and insights into how Belarus is trying to scrub everything American from the country.
