Cuban influencer in Miami explodes over medical care for her son on the island: "At a loss for words"

The Cuban actress and influencer Eileen Morales, known as The Cuban from TikTok and residing in Miami, posted a video on her social media where she denounces the situation her family is facing in Cuba due to the deterioration of the healthcare system.

"The situation in Cuba is becoming increasingly severe, increasingly critical, increasingly pathetic, but I'm not here to give you the typical video about how Cuba is under dictatorship, how it has been a victim of communism for who knows how many thousands of years, because we already know that, okay, we are clear on that," Morales began. He then explained, "Today I come to talk to you about something deeper, I come to discuss what it means to be Cuban, how values have been lost, how the essence, the quality of being human has been lost—this is what I want to talk to you about today."

Morales detailed that her mother and son are sick in Cuba. "As you know, I have my mom and my son in Cuba, my son is sick, my mom too. Why are they sick? Because they need medical prescriptions, because they need medication. They each have a condition that I can help and support from a distance, and make their lives and quality of life much better. I am happy and proud, and soon I will have them with me."

The influencer expressed her frustration regarding the medical care her son received. “How is it possible that my son has a medical condition where in emergencies he is given medication until a certified doctor can see him, not on an urgent basis but rather that he has to wait a month for testing? A month later, when my mom takes my son to that appointment, the doctor isn’t there; she’s in a meeting, and then it gets pushed to a second month, during which my son remains on the same medications with no tests or anything done, just because it was an emergency. The medication doesn’t exist; I have to send dollars to buy the medication, and for that second appointment, you know, the doctor didn’t show up either because she was in a meeting.”

"Someone explain to me what is happening. We know, we know what it is to be a victim of a dictatorship, we understand, but a doctor? Don’t be a doctor. Delegate!” Morales demanded. “How can there be no medicine in Cuba? I can’t believe how someone... these are children who depend on you, on their health, and you are in a meeting—twice! Let’s see if you’re with me. We are not doctors, Cuba has no doctors, but there is a certain hope, because, damn it, they can’t leave Cuba, they can’t do anything. I mean, at least I’m going to manage with my bag of oil, my coffee, my bottle of oil, my little gift, and not even that, because there is no ethics from that doctor who can do anything."

Morales concluded, visibly affected: “Damn! You have a list of children who need you, and you’re in a meeting for two months straight? That’s terrible, just terrible, I’m speechless.”

The video generated an avalanche of comments on TikTok, where many users expressed support and shared similar experiences. One user wrote: "Why can't your son and your beautiful mom leave Cuba? You can't because of the situation of not having papers in the U.S., but why can't they leave? If you help them, can't you?" Meanwhile, another responded: "How are they going to leave? Don't you hear that they have conditions? The lady must be suffering from diabetes or high blood pressure, and the son must be special... it's difficult."

Among the testimonies, one user stands out, stating: "My father-in-law had a stroke the day before yesterday and has been in emergency care at Covadonga for five days. They can't do a CT scan because it's broken, and there's no ambulance to transfer him to Fajardo. That's the end of the story." Another commented: "My mom has been on a waiting list for more than 2 years for an eye operation because she is already blind in one eye and losing vision in the other, and still nothing. Cuba hurts."

“There are no doctors in Cuba; most have gone to Venezuela, where they are working for the government in CDI,” stated another follower. Someone else opined that “the doctor left the country, and they have not wanted to say so.” Another comment was more straightforward: “In Cuba, medicine cannot be privatized because the communists do not allow it, and unfortunately, they depend on public services regardless; even if you have money, it doesn't do you much good in that regard.”

There were also those who questioned Morales for exposing the situation publicly. “You shouldn’t comment so much; you never know if the government might go after your family…,” warned one user. However, another message countered: “God bless you, daughter; keep helping your family until you manage to have them with you, my beautiful. Greetings from Venezuela.”

Morales' testimony once again highlights the deep flaws in the healthcare system in Cuba, which is presented in official discourse as a revolutionary achievement, but which confronts a reality marked by a lack of medicines, a shortage of doctors, the emigration of healthcare personnel, and a widespread deterioration in the quality of care.

Social media has become a key space for highlighting these complaints, which are often ignored or silenced by official channels. The story told by Eileen Morales is just one of many that illustrate the hopelessness of thousands of Cuban families.

Frequently asked questions about the health situation in Cuba and the experience of Eileen Morales