A Cuban woman has set the networks ablaze with a message that many emigrants have felt deeply. In a video that went viral on TikTok, creator Dalla Naya Román (@dallanayroman) issued a direct warning to those living outside the island: do not do business with your relatives in Cuba.
Without mincing words, Dalla explained that many relatives on the island "are too creative with other people's money." In a mocking tone, she mimicked the typical proposals that emigrants often receive: "If you send me some cash, we’ll buy a car, put it to work, and you’ll save a bunch." But her message was clear: these ideas almost always end in losses and disappointments. "It’s all lies. They say the motorcycle was stolen, that the merchandise got lost... in the end, you never see a peso," she concluded.
The video sparked an avalanche of comments from Cubans inside and outside the country, most sharing similar experiences. “My friend sent money to buy a farm, and they spent it playing dominoes with his money,” recounted a user. Another summed up the general sentiment: “With an uncle like that, who needs enemies.”
Although some criticized Dalla for generalizing, most agreed that her warning is more real than exaggerated. “People in Cuba have many ideas, but always with other people's money,” wrote a follower. Others praised her for speaking aloud what many think and few dare to admit.
Amid laughter, irony, and painful confessions, Dalla's video has become a collective outlet for the reality faced by thousands of Cubans in exile: the desire to help family can easily turn into an emotional and economic trap. “Don't fall into that trap,” Dalla repeats, a phrase that has become a mantra for many emigrants.
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