A video posted on Mia Dio's Instagram account has become one of the most celebrated moments by the Cuban community on social media: her mother patiently teaches her, with much flavor, how to shout "Cuba!" with the intensity that a competition like Miss Universe demands.
In the reel, the young woman attempts several times the introductory shout that candidates usually make at the Miss Universe pageants, "Mia Dio... Cuba!", but she doesn't manage to get it right.
After repeating it in front of the mirror over and over again without achieving the desired result, her Cuban mother decided to take matters into her own hands.
The lady, who bears a striking resemblance to the young Miss Universe Cuba, stands in front of the mirror and, with incredible grace and a lot of Cuban flair, shows sufija how to make that cry to defend her candidacy in the international beauty contest.
The clip racked up thousands of likes, and the phrase "you let your Cuban side show" captures the sentiment that flooded the comments section.
The moment carries a special emotional weight when considering the context surrounding the beauty queen. Mia Angelina Donadio Cancio —her full name— is a Cuban-American influencer born in Miami, the daughter of a Cuban mother and an Argentine father.
She was crowned Miss Universe Cuba 2026 on August 20 in Cutler Bay, Florida, representing Isla de la Juventud after winning against 19 finalists. A year earlier, she participated in the 2025 edition, where she reached the Top 5 and earned the title of Miss Popularity.
Her coronation, however, was not without controversy. Many questioned how a young woman born in Miami could represent Cuba in an international competition.
Mia Dio's response was direct. In a bilingual story published days after receiving the crown, she wrote: "Being a product of exile does not make me any less Cuban." She also denounced receiving death threats and clarified that while disagreement is legitimate, threats do not constitute freedom of expression.
On September 7, she spoke publicly again, reaffirming her Cuban identity and her connection to the exile community to those who continue to question her legitimacy as a representative of the Island.
Her commitment to Cuba goes beyond words. In June, before winning the crown, she published a reel dedicated to the Ladies in White, posing in a white dress, lace veil, and gladioluses in front of a Cuban flag.
In this context, watching her mother teach her to shout "Cuba!" with the accent and passion that runs in her veins becomes more than just a funny video: it is an image that the Cuban community in exile feels as their own.
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