A video posted by content creator Velcheva Julia, a Russian influencer living in Spain, has sparked significant controversy on social media after presenting an “idealized” version of Cuba. In her clip, filmed in Havana and shared on TikTok and Instagram, Velcheva described the Island as a place that is “bright, warm, loud, and full of life”, complementing her words with images of classic cars, colonial facades, and local music.
Although the post accumulated millions of views, many users accused it of romanticizing poverty and providing a superficial view of a country experiencing one of its worst economic crises. “You don’t go to Cuba for a vacation, you go to help the people who are suffering from hunger,” commented one user. Others pointed out that “this is not the Cuba of the Cubans,” but rather “the Cuba of tourism, made up for the visitors.”
Among the most common comments were criticisms regarding the contrast between the image portrayed and the daily reality of citizens. “Cuba is not just the Capitol and the Malecón,” wrote one internet user, while others claimed that influencers with a wide reach “whitewash a dictatorship” by ignoring the country's issues, such as blackouts, shortages, and repression.
The Cuban influencer Kevusho was one of those who reacted to the video, posting a message that went viral. In it, he stated that showing only "the beautiful" side of Cuba without mentioning the crisis is "distorting reality" and "trivializing a humanitarian situation." "Cuba is beautiful, but beauty does not erase repression, poverty, or hunger," he expressed, highlighting that tourism revenue "does not reach the people, but rather the state-controlled businesses."
His response was applauded by hundreds of users who congratulated him for “saying what many keep silent.” In contrast, Velcheva's original video continues to gain views and divides opinions between those who defend her right to share a personal experience and those who believe that neutrality can also be a form of complicity when discussing a country in crisis.
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