The Cuban content creator Robert Evangelista posted a video on Facebook in which he harshly denounces the lack of opportunities for young people in Cuba.
The message accumulated over 122,000 views and nearly 12,000 reactions in just a few hours. The trigger was the news of a young woman from Matanzas who obtained a scholarship in Europe after emigrating to Spain.
Evangelista celebrated the achievement, but pointed out that it was only possible because the girl left the island: "No matter how smart you are in Cuba, no young person has a chance. There are no opportunities in this country."
The influencer described the fate that awaits those who stay. "How many young Cubans are not studying right now and end up on the street? Either they end up in drugs, or they end up selling soft drinks in a cafeteria. There are no opportunities here."
Evangelista portrayed the social fracture of the country. "Half of the youth are involved in drugs. The other half are caught up in fights because we have become a social mess, and no one can cover that up."
He acknowledged having "a slightly higher economy than the average" of Cubans, but insisted that this does not change the reality: "There is no opportunity, because unfortunately you can't invest, because unfortunately you can't develop as a person." He added that to succeed economically in Cuba "you have to get involved with what you might not want to get involved with."
The video also included a direct appeal regarding the humanitarian crisis in the country. "People have no food, no money, the elderly are in the garbage, children are begging for money at traffic lights, in the streets. People are without food and without electricity."
He closed his video with a critique of those who feel uncomfortable when someone expresses these realities in public. "We are experts at camouflaging the trash; to the world, we seem perfect, but inside, we are dying."
A pattern of criticism that escalates in 2026
This video adds to a series of increasingly direct statements from Evangelista. In January, he published a viral parody of the "Letter of the Year 2026" that used dark humor to depict the country's decline.
In March, alongside beauty queen Leah Reyes, coordinated a humanitarian effort on the island. She delivered food and essential products to more than 40 vulnerable families in Cuba.
In May, he rejected offers from more than four companies to promote food combos and deliveries to the island, arguing that his audience does not have the financial capacity to purchase them. In response to a proposal of 700 dollars, he replied: “My conscience and my dignity are not worth seven hundred dollars”.
His words are framed within a documented crisis. According to the eighth report from the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights published at the end of 2025, 89% of the Cuban population lives in extreme poverty. Among young people aged 18 to 30, only 22% are studying, while nearly 20% neither study nor work.
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