“Dad, are we rich?”: A Cuban recalls his daughter’s first time in a supermarket in Chile

The testimony of a Cuban living in Chile has moved thousands of people on social media as he recounts his young daughter's reaction during her first visit to a supermarket. The video, posted on TikTok by the user @johnny.blandon.go, has gone viral due to its emotional impact and stark contrast with the reality in Cuba.

"Imagine my daughter, who had barely seen a sweet cookie... she entered the supermarket and started running, grabbing things, and she said to me, 'Dad, are we rich?'" Johnny Blandón recounts, his voice a mix of laughter and nostalgia. In his story, he describes his daughter's bewilderment at the abundance of products and how she threw herself into filling the cart with treats, embracing it afterward with so much joy that, in his words, she seemed like "Tarzan's daughter."

While the mother tried to take the items out and he quietly calculated—“at least we're looking at 30 bucks here”—the little girl burst into tears and refused to return the items. “How do I explain to her that she will have this for a while, until it’s possible?” the father wondered, reflecting the mix of happiness and worry that many migrant families experience.

The testimony reflects a deep cultural shock: transitioning from a scarcity economy in Cuba to an environment where access to consumer goods is commonplace. The video has resonated on social media, where thousands of users, both Chilean and Cuban, shared messages of support, emotion, and reflection.

"You are wealthy because you gave him the best opportunity of his life, you made him see beyond communism," wrote one user. Another commented: "Freedom has no price, Cuban brother," while a Chilean added: "I'm moved to hear these stories; here we take for granted what others have only dreamed of."

Many messages emphasized the value of effort: "Don't be ashamed of your daughter's reaction, but do show her how much it costs," suggested one follower. Others focused on the political contrast: "Don't vote for communists, as everything can be lost," "Thank you for sharing your story, it opens the eyes of many Chileans," and "This is what happens when a people are free and hardworking."

A Chilean wrote: “My sister went to Cuba and the children asked her if it was her birthday just because she gave them a candy,” while another internet user confessed, “My daughter did the same when we arrived from Venezuela.” Some summarized the general sentiment with phrases like: “They are not millionaires, they are free” or “Welcome to freedom, here you have what you were denied for years.”

This case adds to a series of similar testimonies that have gone viral in recent months. In Spain, a 87-year-old Cuban grandmother cried upon discovering the variety of products in a supermarket, while in the United States, a recently arrived mother with humanitarian parole was moved to see shelves full of bread.

Johnny Blandón himself had already made headlines weeks earlier when he expressed gratitude for the respect and affection he has received in Chile, stating that "once you say 'I am Cuban,' you feel the love instantly." “I never thought I would experience this here”, he said then in another viral video.

These stories not only evoke strong emotions; they also reflect the contrast between two models of a country and the deep desire of many emigrants to provide their children with what they themselves were never able to have. In the words of a follower: "Your daughter was not moved by material things; she was moved because she now knows she is free."

Frequently asked questions about the experience of Cuban migrants in supermarkets