A Cuban resident in Boa Vista, Brazil, shared on TikTok a video showcasing the free food received by immigrants at a shelter in that northern city, sparking the interest of thousands of fellow citizens abroad.
The clip, published on Monday by the user @georgeyemaya, shows lunch and dinner served at the shelter: juice, dessert, beef, and other dishes, all at no cost and with the option to have seconds.
"Well, folks, as you can see in the video, I will be showing you the lunch and food that Brazil offers to all immigrants. I recommend it 100% and it's completely free. Here you can have lunch and even go for seconds. They give you juice, they give you dessert, and the food is really good—beef and all, ladies and gentlemen, I highly recommend it so you don’t have to spend a dime," said the author in the 29-second recording.
The shelter where the video was filmed is part of the humanitarian network of Boa Vista, which includes Operação Acolhida —a program of the Brazilian federal government established in 2018— alongside organizations such as Cáritas, UNHCR, IOM, and the Jesuit Service for Migrants and Refugees.
These centers provide three daily meals to migrants and refugees in vulnerable situations. The project "Sumaúma: Nutrindo Vidas," operated at the Reception and Support Center in Boa Vista, has distributed more than 2,000 meals daily and over 600,000 plates to more than 17,000 people.
Although the infrastructure was originally designed to address Venezuelan migration, in 2026, Cubans lead the asylum applications in Brazil, surpassing Venezuelans for the first time in a decade.
In just the first quarter of this year, 13,414 Cubans applied for asylum in Brazil, a figure that represents 58% of the national total during that period, according to data from the Observatory of International Migrations (OBMigra).
Boa Vista accounted for 7,567 of those requests between January and April, solidifying its status as the main entry point for Cubans arriving via the Guyana route— which does not require a visa for citizens from the Island— and crossing into Roraima.
The journey, however, is far from safe. Last June, the Federal Police rescued 39 Cubans who were victims of a trafficking network in Roraima, having gone three days without food after being intercepted. Some migrants pay up to 10,000 dollars to trafficking networks for the entire journey, according to a report by G1.
Once in Brazil, those seeking asylum from the Federal Police receive a protocol that allows them to work legally and access public health, education, and tax registration while the National Committee for Refugees (Conare) processes their case, a process that can extend for years.
The video by @georgeyemaya is part of a growing trend of Cubans documenting the resources available on their migration journey on social media, becoming a practical guide for fellow compatriots. The post garnered over 34,000 views in less than 48 hours.
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