The Cuban TikToker @vlogde_eva, residing in Europe, posted a nearly six-minute video on TikTok in defense of Cuban mothers who emigrated and decided to return to the island with their children, in response to criticisms circulating on social media against these women.
The video arises in the context of recent cases that have sparked debate within the Cuban emigrant community, including that of Malena Mendoza, a 23-year-old Cuban who returned to Cuba from Costa Rica in May 2026 after six months away, motivated by the emotional well-being of her five-year-old daughter, who missed her room, her nursery friends, and her family.
@vlogde_eva begins her narrative from the experience of motherhood: "being a mother without a support network is incredibly tough and challenging; that you have succeeded or that I am managing to do it doesn't mean that everyone can achieve it."
The creator fundamentally questions the dominant narrative within the Cuban diaspora: "Who told the Cuban that the greatest achievement of their life was to emigrate? They were completely misled."
She clarifies, however, that she completely understands why Cubans emigrate: "It is neither ethical nor human to live without electricity, to sometimes live without water, wondering what I will feed my child."
But he distinguishes between leaving out of necessity and being happy outside, and argues that wanting to live in Cuba does not mean settling for hardship: "Who told you that a Cuban who wants to live in Cuba doesn't want to live well, doesn't want to have a coffee maker, doesn't want to have electricity 24 hours a day?"
In direct reference to a woman criticized for returning to the island with a coffee maker purchased in Costa Rica —apparently alluding to the case of Malena Mendoza— @vlogde_eva describes the criticism as "rudeness" and "disrespect."
The TikToker, who identifies as a Cuban mother living well in Europe but currently not working by choice, acknowledges the weight of emotional ties: "Even though I live really well here, I would also love to be sitting with a cup of coffee with my mom, my cousin from down the street, a neighbor."
It also notes that "there are many people who have been crying for one or two years in other countries because they can't adapt," and asks that they not be judged for it.
The debate about the return of Cuban mothers to the island is a recurring topic on social media, reigniting with every viral video of reunions or family returns. One of the most notable cases was that of the TikToker known as "Titi," who lived in the United States with two children and returned to Cuba to reunite with her 10-year-old daughter, from whom she had been separated for six years.
@vlogde_eva frames her defense in a feminist argument and points out a fundamental contradiction: "It's degrading to hear women talk about other women; they've spent their lives demanding rights for women, and now that we have all those rights, they continue to tell us what we should do."
The phrase that captures the feelings of those who make this decision, related to the case of Malena Mendoza, clearly states: "leaving does not mean failing."
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