Ariel Ramos Perdomo, the young Cuban who gained fame through his social media videos with Marta, an elderly woman he referred to as "grandma," recently confirmed upon arriving in the U.S. that Marta is not his actual grandmother. However, he expressed that he loves her as if she were and emphasized that she will continue to be a vital part of his life.
Ramos Perdomo, who arrived this weekend in the state of Missouri thanks to humanitarian parole, explained in an interview with journalist Mario J. Pentón that he met Marta nearly four years ago when he and his partner rented a house owned by Marta.
He says that Marta is exactly as she appears in the videos, and that her numerous antics prompted him to ask the elderly woman's family for permission to document that spontaneity and naturalness that has made her so famous and so beloved.
She clarified that the elderly woman does not want to travel to the U.S. and emphasized that this should be respected, as she is an older person.
“She is not interested in coming. She wants to stay there in Cuba. It makes sense. We cannot force older people to make a decision just because we want them to. They have the right to decide, and that is their choice,” Ariel explained.
"I have prepared a video that shows Marta's true feelings. She is 79 years old. At that age, it is very difficult to start over and emigrate. She is in the best hands in Cuba, with her family. For my part, she will never be left without support," assured the TikToker.
The young man—who studied veterinary science but never practiced it due to the living conditions in Cuba—is determined to continue creating content from the United States and wants Marta to be a part of it because he says, “there’s no Ariel without Marta.”
At several points during the interview, the young man emphasized that although the elderly woman's biological family takes very good care of her in Cuba, he too will ensure that she lacks nothing.
"Blood does not define a family. I also want to make it clear that she is in good hands, is well taken care of, and as she herself says, 'Marta is here to stay,'" concluded Ramos Perdomo.
When asked about his decision to emigrate, he said that the United States is "the land of freedom, the country where anything one sets out to achieve can be accomplished." That's why he feels happy to start a new life, something he has been able to do thanks to his brother, who was already living in the U.S. and arranged for his parole.
“What can I tell you? Like every migrant arriving here for the first time in the U.S., it has been something wonderful. I was completely unaware of such an amazing country, and it has truly been impressive for me. I imagine this happens to all of us,” he said while describing his first impressions.
Ramos Perdomo, 29 years old, also shared his views on the situation of elderly people in Cuba, who survive on pensions of 1,500 pesos per month.
“We had to fight, her daughter had to fight, my mom and dad had to fight, the whole family, everyone had to fight to give Marta the life she deserves,” she noted regarding the specific case of the elderly woman.
Ariel Perdomo also expressed his deep concern for the difficult situation faced by young Cubans, many of whom cannot leave the country and see their dreams frustrated time and again.
"I see many young people who can't go out, who don't have the opportunity, who are wasting time. It's very, very, very difficult. You watch people grow older, and age rapidly. For me, it's heartbreaking to see young people who can't start their own ventures," she pointed out.
It was on Sunday, May 19, that Ariel surprised everyone by sharing a video of his arrival at Kansas airport, where he was greeted by a group of people holding balloons and an American flag.
The young man left Cuba from Varadero on an American Airlines flight bound for Miami, as indicated by his ticket.
Immediately, unaware that they were not actually grandmother and grandson despite the wonderful chemistry that made them famous, hundreds of internet users congratulated them but expressed a common concern: what will happen now with Marta, and how would she cope without her companion of so many fun adventures?
In March, in one of her charming videos, Marta referred to Ariel as her grandson and emphatically stated that anyone who messes with him "doesn't value their life."
On that occasion, the lady described herself as a "badass" and added that she was learning about social media, that she cooks really well, and that when she gets angry... she swears. The video ended with her and her supposed grandson dancing reggaeton before sharing an emotional embrace.
In April, in another amusing recording, Ariel joked that they had received parole and were offering online English classes.
Last month, they reached 100,000 followers on Instagram and celebrated by taking a ride on a scooter.
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