Otto and Felicia never imagined that, after a lifetime in Cuba, they would end up selling goods on a street corner in a city in Paraguay to start anew. However, they affirm that, despite the challenges, they do not regret taking that step.
The Cuban couple, who has been living in the city of Fernando de la Mora in the metropolitan area of Asunción for one year and eight months, is featured in a video shared by SNT Cerro Corá in which they explain how they left the island in search of a life with greater opportunities.
"It was almost impossible to live in Cuba," Otto summarizes while explaining why they decided to emigrate.
Their son was already settled in Paraguay and encouraged them to meet with him. To finance the trip, the couple made a decisive decision: to sell the only home they owned in Cuba.
"I sold everything I had in Cuba. A small two-story house; it wasn't much, but it was a modest and acceptable home. I sold it to a foreigner who bought it for a family member," Otto recounted.
With that money, they paid for passports and embarked on the route that thousands of Cubans take to South America: they left Cuba headed for Guyana, continued through Brazil, and finally crossed over to Ciudad del Este, from where they arrived in Paraguay.
Today, they work independently at a stand located at the corner of Soldado Ovelar and Nueva Asunción, across from Stock Express, where they sell products sourced from local markets to make a living.
"We're here selling what we can... trying to earn a few pesos to get by and also help my son, who is here with us," he explained.
"Here, all you have to do is work."
During the interview, Otto contrasted the reality he left in Cuba with the one he currently experiences in Paraguay.
"In our country, everything is a struggle to get around. We have no transportation, no electricity, no food. Everything has to be obtained on the black market," he stated.
In contrast, he assured that in Paraguay he found something he hadn't experienced in years. "We have freedom, we can move around freely. We don't have to report to anyone. There's everything here; the only thing you have to do is work," he stated.
Felicia also highlighted the treatment received from Paraguayans. "They are very friendly people, and everyone has treated us very well," she said.
A wave of solidarity
The video surpassed 138,000 views and generated hundreds of supportive reactions.
Numerous Paraguayans inquired about the location of sales points to purchase products or provide assistance, while others requested that the authorities consider the possibility of granting them pensions for senior citizens.
The story of Otto and Felicia reflects an increasingly common reality among Cubans who leave the island: selling their belongings to finance immigration and reuniting with family abroad.
Since 2021, more than a million Cubans have left the country driven by the deep economic and social crisis that the island is experiencing. Among them, the number of elderly people is increasing, leaving behind an entire life to reunite with their children and start anew in another country.
"For us, Cubans, leaving Cuba and arriving here in Paraguay is a source of happiness. Here, we live well, to a certain extent," concluded Otto.
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