Yaniuska López, known on social media as La Cubanita, posted a reel on Instagram this Thursday announcing her return to Cuba after living in Angola, and the video immediately sparked controversy among her followers.
"I'm going back to Cuba. Everyone will ask why, and it's not easy to explain. I never thought I would say this, but yes, I'm going back to Cuba," says Yaniuska at the beginning of the video, her voice filled with emotion and her heart, in her own words, "divided."
In almost two minutes, the content creator explains that emigrating was not easy, that she experienced very tough moments away from her family, and that her decision did not stem from reason but from something deeper: "There are decisions that are not made with the mind; they are made with the soul. And truly, returning does not mean failing; it means listening to what I really need."
Yaniuska acknowledges that she leaves her father abroad—with the promise of reuniting soon—and that upon arriving in Cuba, her partner, whom she calls Jevis, prepared a welcome surprise that left her "surprised and in love."
The most honest moment of the video comes when she herself anticipates the criticism: "Yes, I know, Cuba is not doing well, that's not a secret either, but I am happy, and that is the most important thing." And she concludes: "I know you’re going to have negative opinions, that you’ll say, she’s crazy for doing this. But this is truly my life, and I want to live it this way."
He also warns that the internet connection in Cuba is "terrible" and that it will be difficult for him to publish videos regularly, something his followers already know is a daily reality on the island.
"I leave with lessons, with experiences, with a version of myself that is much stronger," Yaniuska concluded in her video, making it clear that, at least for now, her heart has already chosen where she wants to be.
Reactions quickly divided into two well-defined camps. Among the supportive messages, several users celebrated their bravery: "One always returns to where they were happy. And many people would also like to go back," wrote one. Another added: "Cuba is your home, and returning is not easy, but it is your place, and no one has the right to judge."
But the criticism was equally strong. "If it's a failure, even if you try to justify and sugarcoat it, returning to a country like Cuba is a failure," declared an internet user. Another was even more direct: "I could never return to Cuba because I can't stand communism and everything that comes with it." A third, with irony, wrote: "don't let her leave Cuba again, so she can eat communism for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."
The case of Yaniuska is not the first to generate this type of debate. Migdi Pérez returned to Cuba in February of this year after 12 years in Miami and faced similar criticisms. Lisandra Acevedo Évora did the same from Miami in April 2025, exhausted by the high cost of rent, job instability, and loneliness. The pattern repeats: each return becomes a mirror where the Cuban diaspora reflects its own contradictions, fears, and longings.
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