A Cuban migrant residing in Guyana sought help this Monday through social media after reporting that he was evicted from the house he was renting, lost the money he had given to the owner, and was locked inside the property, unable to leave on his own.
The affected individual, identified on Facebook with the username Nevyh, shared a video in which he recounts that he had been trapped in the building for over 24 hours, sleeping on the floor and surviving thanks to the food that some neighbors brought him.
"It has been more than twenty-four hours since the landlord evicted me. I had to sleep on the floor last night," he said.
According to his testimony, the owner of the property, identified as Christopher, took all his belongings, removed the keys, and abandoned the place without returning the money that had been given for the deposit and rent.
The Cuban claims to have lost 90,000 Guyanese dollars corresponding to the deposit and 52,000 Guyanese dollars from the recently paid rent, a total amount equivalent to about 650 US dollars.
"The man does not want to return my money. He is not currently here; he took the car and left, and has not returned," she reported.
The situation worsened because, as he explained, he also couldn't leave the property.
"I haven't been able to go outside because the gate is locked," he stated.
The migrant said that he avoided asking the neighbors for help to prevent involving them in a conflict with the owner.
In the absence of alternatives, he took the opportunity in the video to request support from the Cuban community.
"If anyone knows of any rentals in Coverden, Leonora, or anywhere else, and knows someone with a small truck to help me move my belongings, I would greatly appreciate it."
He explained that friends had lent him money to rent another place, so he only needed to find somewhere to move.
Report of abuse against Cuban migrants
The case is part of a series of videos published by the affected individual on Sunday.
In one of the recordings, the owner justified the eviction by claiming that the tenant had not paid for water and electricity services. The Cuban responded by showing bank statements that, he said, prove those payments.
He also reported that the landlord threw his ebbó, a ritual object from Afro-Cuban religion, to the ground, an act he described as one of the most impactful actions during the conflict.
Additionally, he accused the owner of exploiting the vulnerability of many Cuban migrants.
"He is a con artist who pretends to be a good person. He takes advantage of the fact that Cubans are undocumented," she stated.
Upon concluding her testimony, she issued a warning to those planning to emigrate to Guyana.
"We also have to talk about the bad things in Guyana, as there are more bad than good. This is how we, the immigrants, are treated in Guyana."
An increasingly vulnerable community
The case once again highlights the vulnerable situation faced by many Cubans residing in Guyana.
In recent years, thousands of citizens from the island have moved to that country, drawn by the economic boom driven by the oil industry. However, many remain in a precarious immigration status, which makes it difficult for them to assert their rights in cases of labor or housing disputes.
In recent weeks, other episodes reflecting this reality have already been recorded. On July 23, a fire in Georgetown left around 40 Cubans homeless who were living in a building in the Lacytown neighborhood. Months earlier, Guyanese authorities intervened in a property on Charlotte Street where 77 Cuban citizens were residing, during an investigation for alleged human trafficking.
The migrant concluded his statement with a call to other compatriots to take extra precautions before renting a home.
"The man kept the deposit money and the rent money. I hope that the same thing doesn't happen to you as happened to me."
Filed under: