A video published on March 4 on TikTok by the account @historiamerica showcases images generated with artificial intelligence depicting how the Malecón in Havana might look in a free Cuba: modern, restored, prosperous, and full of life, accompanied by the rhythm of "Nuestro Día (Ya Viene Llegando)," the quintessential anthem of the Cuban exile community composed by Willy Chirino in 1991.
The video is part of a trend that gained momentum throughout 2025 and 2026: Cubans in the diaspora are using artificial intelligence tools to create visualizations of a transformed island, generating millions of emotional responses on social media. In January 2026, an AI video made Cubans cry by showcasing the transformation of a dilapidated building into a colorful architectural gem, amassing thousands of views. In September 2025, the video "The Cuba of Tomorrow" moved and divided thousands of Cubans between those who dream of modernization and those who fear losing the island's historical identity.
In October of that same year, another AI video directly asked, "How many would return if this were to happen?", reaching the hearts of millions in exile.
The contrast with the current reality of the Malecón could not be more striking. In February 2026, storm surges with waves over four meters high caused severe flooding along the iconic eight-kilometer avenue, forcing the evacuation of elderly individuals and those with reduced mobility. Structural deterioration and institutional neglect complete the picture of a symbol of Havana in clear decline.
A video recorded by a Spanish tourist on February 13 showcased the nearly empty avenue due to the fuel crisis, generating around 79,000 discussions on social media.
The political context adds another layer of meaning to these videos. In February 2026, activists from the group Cuba Primero, led by Armando Labrador, placed posters along the Malecón with freedom slogans that went viral on social media. "The people are in the streets. Cuba Primero is committed to Freedom and the end of the oppressive tyranny," Labrador declared on that occasion.
The choice of Chirino's song as the soundtrack for the video is not a coincidence. "Nuestro Día (Ya Viene Llegando)" was composed in 1991 following the fall of the Berlin Wall as a symbol of hope for the freedom of Cuba. Chirino, originally from Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río, arrived in the United States at the age of 14 through Operation Peter Pan in 1960. The song has accompanied protests, tributes, and historical moments of exile for over three decades and continues to be censored in official Cuban media.
In 2021, upon hearing it play on a Havana bus, Chirino himself was publicly moved. When Fidel Castro passed away in 2016, his reaction was brief yet powerful: "Our day is coming."
The original manuscript of the song, featuring handwritten corrections by Chirino —including the change from "islita" to "la Antilla"— has been displayed since 2023 at the History Miami Museum, serving as a tangible testament to decades of waiting that these artificial intelligence videos transform, for a few minutes, into visible reality.
"It’s coming, everyone is already waiting for it, because we are a people who sing along the way, I want to see my flag flying, Cuba is waiting for us," goes the lyrics that millions of Cubans, both inside and outside the island, continue to sing as a promise yet to be fulfilled.
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