“What you are about to see changed my life forever”, this is how the first chapter of the migration journey told by the young Cuban @brayanmr.rodriguez on Instagram begins. In his video, he mixes humor, fear, and realism to describe how he crossed Guyana heading to South America, on a path filled with uncertainty and dangers.
In the post's description, Brayan clarifies that this is his personal experience, that everything was edited with the privacy of those involved in mind, and that the original videos were deleted from his phone for safety reasons after he received a comment that he deemed inappropriate. "I hope this helps those who wish to leave Cuba for a new beginning in a South American country. Thank you." he wrote.
Their story begins when they step off the plane in Guyana, where a contact picks them up and takes them to a house to wait for nightfall. From there, the journey becomes a series of obstacles, including mud, stranded vehicles, destroyed shoes, and a tiny boat that carries more weight than it can handle.
"I’m scared,” he confesses in one of the tensest moments, before repeating his catchphrase: "All in the name of life."
Among the reactions, several Cubans shared similar experiences and sent messages of encouragement. One of those individuals recalled that they also traveled in a "little boat", but "with 12 people."
Another one expressed feeling fortunate because “the truck dropped me off at the border of Brazil and I didn't have to do the crossing by boat.”
“My journey was a success, but in the van next to me, the one next to mine had broken wings, and I spent the trip with wet wipes in my nose,” another migrant confessed more personally.
“My brother, I went through the same journey and arrived a few weeks ago. Stay strong,” was the encouraging message from an internet user.
Others took the opportunity to request caution: “Papo... remember that there are more people who want to make the journey; with those videos, you are just revealing details. We need to have a bit of awareness.”
Brayan had previously anticipated in a video recorded in Cuba that his life there was "a nightmare": without electricity, without water, and without prospects. He joked about ideas for survival, but all seemed unfeasible to him. "The only thing I have left is the fire (to leave the country), so I'm leaving", he said, making it clear that his decision stemmed from hopelessness.
A path repeated by many
The story of Brayan adds to those of other Cubans who have chosen to publicly share their challenging migration journeys, like the young Ney Cruz, who traveled with her family, including her pregnant sister, from Cuba to Brazil, and described the fear of being stopped at the airport and the joy of arriving together in Florianópolis.
O Dailyn Cabrera, a Cuban mother who crossed to Uruguay with her two children. “Vomiting until nearly dehydrated and fainting, but I would do it a thousand times more,” she confessed.
Even well-known figures like influencer Fiu Fiu have shared the Cuban migration struggle. “I slept on the stairs, I ate from the trash,” he recounted while remembering his journey through Brazil to reach the U.S., thanks to the aid of two Cuban women in Miami who helped him without knowing him.
Amid a Cuba marked by hopelessness, migration has become a means of escape, but also a collective testimony. Brayan's generation not only flees but also records, publishes, and denounces. They expose their wounds on social media in the hope that someone will listen. That the world will know.
"This is just the beginning, the craziest part is coming in the next reel.", says Brayan. He says it as if preparing to continue walking, even though it hurts. Like someone who, amid fear and mud, holds on to their faith.
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