Cuban content creator David el de Kitty published a video this Monday directed at Cuban migrants in Guyana, offering a series of recommendations on how to protect themselves from arbitrary evictions and conflicts with landlords.
The recording, which exceeded 84,000 views in just a few hours, emerged as a response to the case of a Cuban who reported being forcibly evicted, losing the money paid for the deposit and rent, and witnessing how the landlord threw his ebbó, a ritual object from Afro-Cuban religion, on the ground.
"Always sign a contract."
David's main advice was that no Cuban should rent a home without a written contract, regardless of their immigration status.
"They sign a contract. Your immigration status does not matter. You can and should demand to sign a contract," he stated.
She also recommended requesting a receipt for each payment made.
If the owner refuses to provide a receipt, it was suggested that the tenant prepare a simple document and ask the landlord to sign it before handing over the money.
"Here is the money, here is the receipt. Sign here so I can give you the money," he explained.
When to go to the police and when to go to a court
One of the central aspects of the video was the difference between a civil conflict and a crime.
According to what was explained, when there is a dispute related to a rental contract, the usual procedure does not fall under the jurisdiction of the police, but rather the courts, unless there is violence or property damage.
"When there is a dispute between the landlord and the tenant, the police have nothing to do with it, unless there is violence," he noted.
Instead, she recommended calling the police immediately if the landlord attempts to force eviction, destroys belongings, or assaults the tenant.
Regarding the recent viral case, he opined that the affected party should resort to legal action to claim the money and report the alleged breach of contract, although he acknowledged that initiating that process involves time, legal costs, and, in many cases, overcoming the language barrier.
"Do not be afraid of threats."
David also wanted to address one of the most common fears among Cuban migrants.
"The police of Guyana cannot deport; that is an immigration issue. They are not deporting anyone here. Forget about it, don’t be afraid when they threaten you with that," he assured.
He added that if there is a valid contract and the tenant has fulfilled their obligations, the landlord cannot evict them unilaterally.
"The landlord would have to go to court for a judge to issue an eviction order," he stated.
This criterion aligns with the Landlord and Tenant Act of Guyana, which stipulates that evictions must follow a legal process and cannot be carried out arbitrarily by the property owner.
A growing concern among Cubans in Guyana
The video was widely shared at a time of growing concern within the Cuban community in Guyana, where thousands of migrants have arrived in search of job opportunities related to the boom in the oil industry.
In the past few weeks, several incidents have highlighted the vulnerable situation of this community. On July 23, a fire in the Lacytown neighborhood in Georgetown left around 40 Cubans who were residing in a building homeless. Months earlier, authorities intervened in another property where they found 77 Cuban citizens during an investigation into alleged human trafficking.
At the conclusion of his message, David summarized the importance of knowing the basic rights of any tenant: "This is universal, except in Cuba where there is no law. Civil cases and issues of contract violation are not resolved through the police."
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