A Cuban resident in the United States named Gabriel Alcántara posted a video on Facebook that has gathered more than 361,000 views, delivering a direct and compelling piece of advice: anyone who has the opportunity to leave Cuba should do so without a second thought.
Alcántara speaks from personal experience. He left the Island on a raft in 1994, during the massive exodus of rafters, and has been living in Miami with his family for over three decades.
"If you are in Cuba right now, if you have the opportunity to get out of there, leave. That is the only race that is worth it in Cuba—getting out of there," he says.
His message dismisses any hope for recovery in the short or medium term, regardless of any political changes that may occur.
"Forget that things are going to get better one day, that Trump is going to come in, that Trump is going to go out, forget all of that. Even if Trump were to come in today, being the constitutional president of Cuba, it would take years and years to recover. That country, it is in total ruin," he states.
To support his argument, Alcántara lists the structural deficiencies of Cuba: "There is no infrastructure, there is no sewage system, there are no roads, there are no functioning water pipes, there is no operational thermoelectric plant."
The man also warns about the insecurity faced by those who own property and businesses under the regime: "Whenever the government feels like it, it just takes it away from you. The only business, the only career that exists in Cuba, is called getting out of there."
His recommendation is to sell whatever you can— a bicycle, a pig, a cell phone— to afford the trip, and he mentions the route to Suriname and then Brazil as the most accessible at the moment. "You will never be a person living in Cuba," he concludes.
His proposal coincides with a burgeoning migratory trend. In 2025, Brazil received 41,919 asylum applications from Cubans, an increase of 88.1 % compared to the previous year, and for the first time, Cubans surpassed Venezuelans as the primary nationality applying for asylum in that country. Between January and April 2026, there were already 13,414 new applications registered.
The comments on the video reflect the impact of the message. A woman from Camagüey who emigrated to Brazil wrote: "I clean floors with my head held high in a hospital, because the salary is higher than working in the market. I live like a person without stress, without chasing after food, or the bills. In Cuba, I had a house, but no life."
A man who left through Mariel in 1980 was more categorical: "That will never again be a normal country. The damage caused, especially the anthropological damage, surpasses any possibility of repair."
Another user pointed out that the mentality of a corrupt society that wants money without work and sacrifice must be changed first. "Where they end up is stealing and thinking they are skillful with those who give them jobs. The first rule is to correct these societal flaws before proceeding to build the country."
"The Cuban has no more options, wherever it may be, do not fear change because nothing could be worse than this," urged an emigrant.
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