If you are Cuban and live outside the island, you have surely heard something similar: a relative writing to you asking for help "to solve something urgent." Well, a viral audio circulating on social media has taken this situation to the extreme: an aunt from Cuba asked her nephew for $1,000 to buy a motorcycle for her son. And of course, the story quickly spread among Cubans both inside and outside the country.
Among many reactions, one of the most talked about was that of Yeily González, a Cuban resident in Miami who decided to record a video to respond —with affection but also with a lot of reality— to the famous "aunt of the audio". Her clip, published on TikTok under the account @yeilygonzalez94, went viral for its humorous and sincere tone at the same time.
“Mira, tía, I’m going to respond so you understand a little bit,” Yeily starts saying while showing a white car. “This 2022 Honda Civic isn’t mine; I use it and pay $500 a month for it. This van you see isn’t mine either, I’m paying for it. The house you see isn’t mine, I’m paying for it. You know how long it’s been since I went to a hair salon… since I got here,” she shares.
The young woman, who makes a living selling coconuts and homemade products, continues her story, highlighting the struggles of making it in the United States: “Your niece is in the fight here. I don’t have a thousand dollars to send you, but I can send you a thousand hugs and a thousand kisses. Take care, ride your bike, tita”, she says with a touch of humor that delighted thousands of users.
The comments quickly filled her post. “We should all respond to our aunts like this,” wrote a follower. Another user added: “Family in Cuba thinks that we are millionaires here, and if you don’t give them money, they get upset”. Some criticized Yeily for “bringing up family matters,” but she took it humorously: “I love my aunt, but wow, she made it difficult for me,” she replied with laughter.
The video has become a sort of collective outlet for many Cubans in exile, who claim to experience similar situations every week. "Money doesn't fall from the sky and in the United States, you have no one," wrote an internet user, reflecting the harsh reality of immigrant life beyond appearances.
Between irony and honesty, Yeily's response connects with a very Cuban reality: that of those who, even while living abroad, still carry the expectations of their loved ones on the island. With humor, affection, and a touch of “selling coconuts,” this Cuban expressed in words what many think… but few dare to say.
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