A Cuban residing outside the island, identified on TikTok as Vivian0322, posted a video yesterday in which, visibly distressed, she regrets not being able to reunite with her family on the Mother's Day in Cuba or bring flowers to her mother at the cemetery.
"In Cuba, don't make plans for anything, never make plans, not even to spend Mother's Day with your sisters who live far away, nor to be able to go to the cemetery to bring flowers to your mom," says the woman in the 41-second clip, her voice trembling.
Vivian0322 explains that she spent the date only with her son and husband, away from her sisters and unable to visit her mother's grave.
"Today is a bit of a sad day," he admits, before wishing "health and blessings to everyone."
In the video description, the Cuban summarizes what thousands in the diaspora feel: "The reality of Cubans today is sad; one cannot travel anywhere, there’s no way, we have to live like this and try to be well and happy, better times will come."
His testimony reflects a collective reality that has intensified in recent years. More than 1.4 million Cubans left the island between 2020 and 2024, and as of 2023, 38% of Cuban families had at least one member living abroad, according to data from the Cuban Foreign Ministry itself.
Travel difficulties have multiplied in 2026. From the Cuban side, a Jet A-1 fuel crisis affected nine international airports since February, drastically reducing air connectivity: in the first quarter of the year, Cuba received only 298,057 international visitors, a 48% decrease compared to the same period in 2025.
From the U.S. side, the Trump administration suspended the entry of Cubans with tourist, study, and exchange visas starting June 9, 2025, and on January 1, 2026, implemented a new immigration proclamation that further tightens restrictions. Immigration lawyers have even warned permanent Cuban residents to avoid leaving the U.S. due to the risk of being unable to re-enter.
Inside the island, Mother's Day 2026 took place amid an unprecedented economic crisis. The average salary is only 13 dollars a month, 89% of the population lives in extreme poverty, and 79% of those over 70 do not have access to three meals a day, according to the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights.
The contrast with the official discourse was striking. Díaz-Canel congratulated Cuban mothers with an image of a military officer and a message about his willingness to "defend Cuba," while a mother sent him an open letter asking how to explain hunger to a seven-year-old child and to an elderly woman over 80 without breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
The reality on the streets also left no room for celebration. A 77-year-old grandmother from Santiago walks 15 kilometers pushing a cart since two in the morning to sell okra, an image that encapsulates the dignity and neglect that coexist on the island.
For the diaspora, Mother's Day has become a date of pain and nostalgia that no video call can fully alleviate, as Vivian0322 made clear with her message: "Don't make plans with Cuba."
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