A young Cuban identified as Ana Leyla (@ayla41618) posted a video on TikTok last Friday to respond to accusations that she had engaged in jineterismo to acquire a home at the age of 20.
The trigger was an anonymous comment that said: "I had to start horse riding to be able to buy a house at twenty years old living in Cuba." Ana Leyla decided not to let it go and recorded a response of almost a minute and a half in which she showcases her home and defends her way of life.
"This was told to me by a random person in the comments, and I'm here to respond," the young woman begins in the clip. "It's a shame that many have generalized this theory and believe it's the only way to get ahead in life."
In the video, Ana Leyla is shown sweeping the front of her home, an unfinished block construction that she affectionately refers to as her "humble little house." Far from being ashamed, she embraces these images as a symbol of something greater: "These shots where you see me simply sweeping in front of my house shout survival, respect, effort, dedication, and much more."
The young mother acknowledges that showcasing an unfinished home exposes her to mockery, but she embraces it with pride. "Many think I'm making a fool of myself on social media because I show a house that is just made of blocks or simply because I'm revealing the reality of how I and thousands of Cubans live," she points out.
Her message is not one of condemnation toward other women. "I respect everyone's decision; I'm not speaking ill of those who choose to do these kinds of things," she clarifies. What she advocates for is her own choice: "I choose the life that has been given to me, I'm fighting for my son as best as I can, proud of who I am today."
The video by Ana Leyla arrives at a time when prejudice against young Cuban women with their own assets has intensified. The economic crisis has fueled jineterismo as a means of survival in the face of state salaries that do not exceed 20 dollars per month, while the average price of a house in the informal market hovers around 109,998 dollars. This gap makes any young woman who manages to own her own home appear suspicious.
The housing crisis in Cuba worsens the situation: the country has an official deficit of over 929,000 homes, 35% of the housing stock is in fair or poor condition, and only 22% of the annual construction plan was completed in 2025.
This type of response on social media has become recurrent. Last May, the Cuban Yare Grau stated that she would "stand up for the jineteras of Cuba," and that same month another Cuban responded to men who labeled her a jineteras. Ana Leyla's case stands out because she does not defend jineterismo, but instead champions the opposite path: honest effort and a life without facades.
"I like the pain that makes me grow, and I'm not perfect; in fact, nobody is," concludes the young woman, whose video has garnered over 17,500 views and generated dozens of supportive comments.
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