The 'Ted Cruz's 2021 Cancun Vacation' meme originated in February 2021 during a record-breaking winter storm in Texas that left millions without power or water. Amidst the crisis, photos surfaced on social media showing Senator Ted Cruz at an airport with a rolling suitcase, boarding a flight to the sunny resort of Cancun, Mexico. The imagery of a public official seemingly abandoning his constituents during a disaster sparked immediate outrage and a tidal wave of internet humor. The meme typically uses the photo of Cruz in a face mask and a puffer jacket walking through the terminal to represent someone avoiding their duties, running away from a disaster, or prioritizing personal comfort over professional obligation.