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The Cuban engineer Leydis Aguilera took her seat on Tuesday in the Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay and left a message that strongly resonated with those who have emigrated from authoritarian regimes. "We come from a dictatorship carrying those chains," she said, referring to the experience of many migrants arriving in the South American country in search of freedom.
Aguilera, who has been living in Uruguay for 16 years, became the first legislator of Cuban origin in the history of that country's Parliament. Her entry into the Legislative Power occurred when she took office as a substitute deputy for the parliamentarian Pablo Abdala of the National Party.
The new legislator recounted that her arrival in Uruguay marked a turning point in her life. “Uruguay was a before and after in my life,” she stated in comments reported by the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador. She mentioned that the country represents for many migrants “a beacon” after having lived under restrictive political systems.
"Uruguay for us, coming from other countries and directly from a dictatorship carrying those chains, is a beacon," said Aguilera, who also described the country as a place where people can "breathe without fear."
The Telecommunications and Electronics engineer arrived in Uruguay in 2010, where she later validated her degree at the University of the Republic. Over the years, she built her family in the country and became involved in political life.
Currently, she serves as the coordinator of the Commission on Migration Affairs of the National Party and leads the political group Tiempo de Avanzar, composed of migrants from various backgrounds and Uruguayan citizens. From this position, she has promoted initiatives related to integration and the rights of foreign communities.
Aguilera affirmed that her intention in Parliament is to represent not only Cubans but all migrant communities living in Uruguay. “I hope to be that voice within Parliament in defense of all people, and especially of my migrant community here in Uruguay,” she stated.
Among the main concerns mentioned are the difficulties many foreigners face in accessing documents, housing, employment, or basic services upon arriving in the country.
In interviews granted to local media, the lawmaker also recalled how her perception of politics changed after leaving Cuba. “In Cuba, we always associated it with repression, prison, fear, and a single party. Here, I understood that politics is a tool to transform reality,” she explained to Montevideo Portal.
For Aguilera, her arrival at the Uruguayan Parliament is something she never thought possible. “A Cuban never dreamed she could access the Chamber of Representatives in one of the few countries with full democracy in the world,” she stated.
The deputy has also publicly expressed her hope that the situation in Cuba will change one day. She stated that she maintains "a thread of hope" that the country can achieve freedom through the efforts of Cubans both inside and outside the island.
Her presence in the Uruguayan Parliament represents a symbolic moment for the migrant community and for many Cubans abroad who have rebuilt their lives far from the island.
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