The testimony of a young Cuban residing in Mexico has gone viral on TikTok, where she recounts the difficult situation her family is facing in Cuba. In the video, posted by the user @soyyulicastillo, the creator explains that Cuba is often discussed “as if it were just a topic, an opinion, or a political debate,” but for her, it is something much more personal: “Cuba is my mom, my dad, my uncles, my nephews, my siblings, my memories, my childhood.”
Throughout the video, the young woman describes the everyday problems her family faces on the island. “There have been days, even a whole week, where I haven’t heard anything from them. When I do communicate, they only talk to me about shortages, suffering, poverty, and misery. There are no dreams, no beautiful things,” she says.
"Usually in the calls I have with my mom, she tells me that there's no food, the supermarkets are empty, and when they wait in line at the pharmacy to buy medicine, there are no medications. Obviously, inflation is through the roof; the dollar has risen to about 500 pesos. Hospitals have nothing, meaning that, in general, nothing can be found. Electricity goes out for up to 20 hours," she details at another moment.
The young woman also mentions that her 13-year-old nephew does not attend school because "he doesn't sleep, because there is no food, because there is nothing." In her opinion, "the worst part is not the scarcity; it is the exhaustion, the extreme exhaustion of waking up every day and knowing that nothing is going to change."
From Mexico, she expresses gratitude for the opportunities she has had, although she confesses that her family's situation deeply affects her: “Sometimes I have days when I can't even eat, because of the uncertainty, knowing that here I have everything—food, internet, electricity, water, the basics that a person can have—and knowing that they don’t have it.”
He says that he tries to help his family from abroad in various ways: “I help them by recharging their phones, I send them money when I can, and I send them supplies from Cuba... My stepfather needed a chainsaw to work in the fields, and I bought it for him. Thank God I was able to send it because right now they don’t have gas, so they cook with charcoal or firewood.” He also mentions that he sent money to buy a generator, as “there is no electricity there” and their food goes bad.
"My family and the people of Cuba are suffering. I’m not saying this to evoke pity; on the contrary, I want you to understand what Cuba is like from my own experience," he concludes.
The video, which has received over 45,000 "likes" and accumulated more than 1,600 comments, has sparked an intense debate among users from various Latin American countries. Many expressed solidarity and empathy towards the Cuban people, while others discussed the political and economic causes of the crisis on the island.
Among the messages of support, comments such as: "It’s terrible what you are going through, I hope Cuba is free soon"; "I understand you, the pain of having family far away and struggling is unbearable"; "It's so sad to hear all of this, I hope you can bring them with you one day"; and "God bless all the Cubans who are suffering" can be read.
Other users reflected on the situation with a tone of concern or helplessness: “It is a very harsh reality, it is sad to see how the Cuban people endure so much”; “We all deserve to live better, with dignity and without fear”; and “Sometimes one doesn’t know what to say, because nothing changes no matter how much is spoken about it.”
There were also those who mentioned the relationship between the crisis and the political conditions in the country. Some comments stated that "communism only brings misery and pain," while others argued that "the United States has had them blocked for decades" or asked "what is the true intention of the rulers and why does the people continue to suffer so much."
Among the most heartfelt messages, several users from Latin America expressed their support and closeness: “Mexico embraces you; here you have brothers”; “Bring your family, we will take care of them as our own”; “What you’re doing for them is already a lot; don’t feel guilty, you’re helping more than you think”; and “Thank you for speaking from the heart; sometimes we just need to be believed.”
Other comments referred to faith and hope for change: “Cuba will also be free, because God is good”; “Everything comes to an end, freedom is closer”; and “Let us continue praying for a better future for the Cuban people.”
The post also generated criticism towards those who mock or downplay the situation. One user wrote: “Please, use some sense. This situation is not for jokes or sarcasm; it’s about empathizing with their suffering.”
From within Cuba, recent testimonies confirm the deterioration of living conditions. In a video shared on TikTok by Cuban creator Rosy Wanderlust, people are seen charging their phones in the street during a blackout. “In Cuba, we have no right to be happy, to live without stress, or to live with dignity; another day when the millions of Cubans who remain on the island wake up without electricity, not knowing when it will return,” she says in her post.
In his account, Wanderlust adds that "it is not enough that the average salary does not cover the cost of buying food for the month; you also struggle to cook it, having to resort to fire directly, cooking in the sooty cauldron in your yard, if you have one, and water is also scarce."
Both publications, from inside and outside the island, reflect a shared feeling of exhaustion and despair in a country marked by scarcity, power outages, and daily uncertainty.
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