The Cuban actress Carmita Ruiz, known for her character Teresita Prieto on the television show "Sabadazo," sparked a debate on social media after recent statements surfaced in which she dismissed emigrating to the United States to work in the arts because that is for the young.
In an interview on "The Cuban Family", Carmita recounted that she traveled multiple times to that country until her visa expired, and at that time, she decided to return to Cuba because her parents were alive and her daughter was there.
Regarding the possibility of having stayed, he said: "There wasn't the same mindset that exists now in these years. You think: 'I have the visa, I can come and go whenever I want.' I didn't think about that. I really didn't stop to think about it."
Although he claims not to regret that decision, he acknowledges that today he wishes he had that visa to move freely. "I would like to have it because if I want to travel, like any human being from any planet, from any place, wants to come in and go out, why? Why this repression? Let me in and let me out."
However, the comedian draws a clear line: traveling is fine, but staying permanently is not.
"Going to the United States to work? No. Because you go to work when you're young, when you're in your prime. A person who has already passed 50 and is in their 60s, I think, can work in something else, but living off art, that doesn’t seem feasible to me," he asserts.
The statements quickly sparked a flood of responses
Most internet users—many of them emigrated Cubans—countered his argument with their own testimonies and a strong stance: in the United States, people work at any age and in various trades.
"Here, you can work in many fields outside of art, and you can live better and with more comforts. People shouldn't cling to a single profession or trade; there are many different options, and all of them pay: taking care of children, the elderly, cleaning houses, driving for Uber, Lyft, working in stores, or markets. It's a matter of attitude towards life," said a user.
Others shared personal experiences that directly contradict the actress's view. "Ma'am, I arrived at 50 and now I'm 63 and I keep working, and I thank God for having made it," revealed an internet user. Another added, "I arrived at 55, studied, and here I am very happy, at 63."
Some went further and pointed out that it is possible to thrive even at older ages. "I have friends who arrived at 62 and have bought properties with their jobs and their approaches. But they also always wanted to come, and it was at that age that they succeeded," noted another commentator.
Several users highlighted the situation in Cuba for comparison. "In Cuba, no professional lives up to what they studied and worked hard for; they live more miserably than those who clean in the United States," wrote one. Another was more direct: "But what are you in Cuba? Nothing!"
A user who identified herself as a former teacher with a daughter who is a doctor confessed that she emigrated ten years ago and that she regrets not having done it sooner: "I worked, studied, and I regret not having done it earlier."
One comment summed up the view of many: "Life is the mindset that has been instilled in you. Here at my job, there are two people who are almost 80 years old and are still working and paying for their expenses; they are from Guatemala and Nicaragua. In this country, anyone who is determined to succeed and work will always achieve it."
"Many people have arrived in the U.S. at 50 or 60 years old and today are blessed individuals because they have a good retirement and a quality life," noted a forum member.
"Any country is a school for Cubans, because one lives freely; you just need the desire to study and work," emphasized another.
The debate reflects a recurring tension between Cubans who emigrate at an older age and those who remain on the Island, convinced that the U.S. labor market has no room for them, a perception that is often contradicted by the testimonies of the emigrant community.
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