The Cuban tiktoker Lesyanis Portilla reignited the debate on social media with a video in which she responds to those who defend the regime in Havana by citing free education as an argument. Her message, filmed from Spain, has gone viral due to the power of her words and the clarity with which she describes the human and social cost of the Cuban system.
"When an idiot comes to tell you that the Cuban dictatorship gave you free education, respond that you returned it with lack of freedom, with indoctrination, with an invisible salary, with a crumbling house, with the farewell of a family member you don't know if you'll ever see again, or with the imprisonment of a friend," says Portilla in the TikTok video.
The clip, accompanied by the phrase "Hidden costs of gifts in Cuba," has been widely shared and discussed. The young woman questions the supposed free nature of services on the island and argues that the people have paid a high price in rights and freedoms for what the regime presents as social achievements.
Thousands of users reacted with messages of support and reflection. Some noted that "no one has ever said it so clearly," while others pointed out that "instruction without freedom is indoctrination." Calls for the freedom of Cuba increased, along with comparisons to the situation in Venezuela. Users from various countries expressed empathy with the Cuban experience and agreed that Portilla's message reflects shared realities in societies marked by authoritarian regimes.
The video was published on December 17, 2025, on the account @lesyanisportilla and reached thousands of views in just a few hours, fueled by comments from Cubans both inside and outside the island who shared similar experiences.
This is not the first message from the creator that has generated a response. In another video from August 2025, she explained that she decided to emigrate because "Cuba was not only a country that took my food away, but also prohibited me from eating things that I saw being offered to thousands of tourists in my own country." On that occasion, she lamented that "there is not even an illusion that this dictatorship will fall" and called for unity among Cubans both on and off the island.
In a reflection from January 2025, Portilla warned about the social deterioration in Spain, stating: “Spain is Cuba, my brother, open your eyes, this is becoming Cuba.” Later, in an October video, he sparked debate again by claiming that “in a country where a freelancer pays even when they don’t invoice, but politicians get paid even when they don’t work,” criticizing corruption and inequality.
The new video reaffirms the line of her previous messages: a blend of venting, denunciation, and reflection on freedom, indoctrination, and the emotional toll imposed by the Cuban regime. Her words have particularly resonated with those who have experienced exile and with young people who, like her, use social media to express the personal consequences of growing up under an authoritarian system.
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