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The Cuban musician Yordan Gil, vice president of the newly established “Cuba-Guyana Community,” called on the Guyanese government to recognize the professional and intellectual value of Cuban migrants and provide them with greater job opportunities and access to citizenship.
In statements to the local newspaper Stabroek News, Gil explained that many of the approximately 5,000 to 6,000 Cubans currently residing in Guyana have found a better quality of life than on the island, but are facing serious challenges in obtaining stable legal status.
"As I see it, life in Guyana is much better than in Cuba, vastly better, I decided to stay here for a better life, and many Cubans did as well," said the musician and symphonic teacher.
According to the explanation, the main obstacle facing the Cuban community is the difficult access to residency and citizenship. The current system only allows visa extensions for three months, and in many cases, with a limitation of two renewals, which leaves migrants in a situation of constant uncertainty.
"The process is very difficult," Gil lamented, emphasizing that this legal precariousness forces highly qualified professionals —doctors, engineers, artists— to take on jobs that are not closely related to their training.
Between hope and uncertainty
Despite the challenges, Gil assures that many Cubans feel grateful for the welcome they have received in Guyana and for the opportunities, although limited, to rebuild their lives away from the state control and scarcity that define daily life in Cuba.
However, his message carries a tone of warning, emphasizing that without inclusive policies or clear legal pathways, the full integration of Cubans into Guyanese society will continue to be a distant goal.
The testimony of Gil takes place against a backdrop of unprecedented migrant exodus. In recent years, thousands of Cubans have embarked on journeys to Caribbean and South American countries—among them Guyana—in search of an escape from the economic and political crisis that the island is experiencing.
Just a few months ago, CiberCuba reported on the case of a citizen from Ciego de Ávila who offered his fully furnished house in exchange for two tickets to Guyana, in what has become an increasingly common practice in social media groups dedicated to migration. The desperation to leave the country has led many to trade their most valuable possessions for the chance to emigrate.
The Cuban migratory phenomenon not only exposes the humanitarian and social crisis that the island is experiencing, but also the desire of thousands of people to start anew, even in faraway and unfamiliar places like Guyana. There, amidst the language barrier, uncertainty, and bureaucracy, Cubans continue to seek something as fundamental as a dignified life and a place to call home.
"We want to work, contribute, and feel part of this society," Gil summarized in his interview. "We only ask for the opportunity to do it legally."
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