A Cuban resident in Italy, known on social media as elprofeperdu (@elprofeperdu), has moved thousands with a reflection published on TikTok about the current situation in Cuba. In the video, which lasts over five minutes, the creator shares a testimony filled with sadness, helplessness, and disillusionment as he describes how his country has changed in recent years.
"To this day, I don’t have the heart to go to Cuba, because in the end, you go and see so much misery amidst so much beauty, with the hope that someday those people will have the chance to escape that reality," he says in one of the segments of the video that has generated a wave of supportive comments among Cubans both inside and outside the country.
The creator, who has lived in Italy since 2016, says that each return to the Island is emotionally unbearable for him. “I left in 2016, and look at the changes Cuba has gone through in less than ten years. Brother, Cuba is a garbage dump, it is destroyed,” he laments, recalling iconic places in Havana that —as he describes— are in ruins.
With a tone of sadness, he states that "it's a pity the reality that Cuba is living" and criticizes the attitude of some Cuban expatriates during their trips to the island: "you have to be very cold-blooded to go to Cuba to speculate," he said.
It also harshly criticizes those who profit from the suffering of others and turn the desperation of others into opportunity. “There are people who go to Cuba because Cuba is a business, to make deals, to invest in the needs that are being experienced in Cuba. This will never change, I can tell you that,” he declares.
Before those reflections, the creator had reaffirmed his love for the Island and the pride he feels for his identity. “I am passionate about my nationality, I am passionate about my culture, I am passionate about Cubaness, I am passionate about the geographical places of my country, I am passionate about the architecture of Havana,” he expressed to emphasize that his criticism does not stem from rejection, but from the pain of someone who deeply loves their land.
The video was accompanied by the text: “Everything is so degraded now that even the Cuban has lost their will to live.”
During his reflection, the creator also describes the emotional impact each visit has on him: “When I went to Cuba, aside from family, the reality and society, I was in depression here for fifteen days, fifteen days without working, fifteen days where it was eat and sleep in depression.”
Among the comments received, many users expressed that they resonated with his words. "Someone who finally understands me," wrote one person. "Cuba has always been bad, but it has taken a tremendous downturn; it's so much worse now," noted another.
Other messages resonate with the pain of visiting the country: “It's heartbreaking, and it’s been exactly seven years since I last went; they have destroyed our people,” commented one user. “It's even difficult to make a video call and see so much misery,” added another.
Many recognize the feeling of shared sadness: "Cuba hurts too much right now. The sadness reflected on the faces of Cubans is so large... your words reflect the feelings of many of us," wrote one person.
Some, on the other hand, expressed hope for a future change: “Don’t say it won’t change, Trump doesn’t speak for no reason,” responded a user.
The testimony of elprofeperdu has struck a deep chord within the Cuban expatriate community, which recognizes in his words the contrast between love for the Island and the frustration at its decline.
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