Farewell videos published on social media starkly document the exodus of a generation of young Cubans leaving the island not by choice, but driven by desperation.
As of March 2026, several of these posts have gone viral, accumulating thousands of views and becoming the most honest portrayal of what it means to leave Cuba today.
The content creator Katherin, known as Aprendedora Jeje, posted a video on Instagram recorded shortly before leaving the country. "The last hours don't feel epic, they feel strange," she confessed.
His most powerful message came at the end: "Did they leave us any other option? I didn't leave Cuba because of the unbearable blackouts. I left Cuba because I want to be free. I want to think and speak without fear."
The Cuban musician Axere published a farewell video featuring his song "Otro año en Cuba," which has garnered over 153,000 views. "I'm not going to lie to you, deep down, I really don’t want to leave," he admitted.
The song was released on December 31 and features a chant repeated by thousands of Cubans: "Get me out of here, damn it!".
This week, the content creator Alejo Valdés Quintana posted a video on Instagram that clearly explains the collective frustration.
"The situation is a disaster. We are all waiting for someone to do something in Cuba," he said, pointing directly at both the regime and Washington.
"From my point of view, they are not interested in the Cuban people. They are not interested in you. They are not interested in me." His conclusion was blunt: "The only viable option is to find a way to leave the country".
The backdrop of these farewells is the deepest crisis Cuba has experienced since 1959. The migratory wave of 2021 is devastating for the country and shows no signs of an immediate slowdown.
In February, Miguel Díaz-Canel asked the youth for their trust in the government, but his words sounded empty to thousands of Cubans who are leaving the island, making it clear that leaving is painful, but staying in Cuba is no longer an option.
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