The Cuban influencer Anita Mateu, residing in Spain, has sparked an intense debate on social media after sharing a video about how she found Havana on her recent trip to the island.
"Thus I found Havana in 2026 upon my return to Cuba," begins saying in the audiovisual (@anita.mateu), recorded while walking through streets with visibly deteriorated buildings. In her account, the content creator describes the emotional impact that returning to the country where her family lives has on her.
"I live in Spain, and returning to Cuba is an incredible shock. Every time I go back, my heart tightens because I see everything more destroyed, everything more dull, everything more lonely, everything more expensive," she states. She also insists that she perceives an atmosphere marked by worry: "People don’t even have a smile on their faces. That saying that Cubans are cheerful, I haven't seen any smiles, only concern, only stress, people are thinner."
Mateu explains that, although he returns with joy at reuniting with his loved ones, the reality he observes makes him feel sadness. "I always come back happy because I see my family, I can hug them, I can see them again, but all I think when I see this is that I want to get them out of here, because it’s like a country that is falling into ruins."
Regarding her visit to the capital, she adds: “I went to Havana on the last day, before heading back to Spain, and Havana left me in shock; everything was too destroyed.” She clarifies that the tourist image does not reflect what the majority, according to her, experience: “Yes, you can go to tourist spots and find these scenarios, but this is not the reality of Cuba; this is the reality of Cuba: trash everywhere.”
In one of the most direct parts of the video, he states: “Cuba is a dictatorship and the government doesn’t care about its people. I wonder if one day Cubans will be able to see real change.”
The audiovisual quickly surpassed thousands of interactions and garnered hundreds of comments reflecting a strong polarization. Many users supported its message with phrases like "That's communism," "Socialism is misery," or "Cuba will be free."
There were also comparisons drawn between the political situations in Spain and Venezuela, as well as calls for change on the island and expressions of solidarity with the Cuban people.
Anita Mateu's trip had already sparked conversation weeks before, when she reported difficulties upon her arrival at Havana airport, including the theft of a digital camera from her carry-on luggage which ended up being checked in. At that time, she also warned about practical issues such as the need to carry cash, limitations in transportation, and the irregularity of internet connectivity.
With this new testimony, the debate was reignited around the economic and social reality of the country, the responsibility of the Cuban government, and the impact of U.S. sanctions, in a context where each account from Cubans returning to the island from abroad often turns into a subject of public discussion.
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