A Cuban from the diaspora responded to those who criticize Cuban women abroad and pointed out where, according to him, the real problem lies: with the men themselves. The creator @ivanperezdiaz0, known as "ivancito91," posted a video on TikTok that garnered over 103,100 views, 9,540 "likes," and more than 1,300 comments in less than 24 hours.
The clip, lasting one minute and 43 seconds, begins with a straightforward statement: "making this video is for my friends who often tell me that Cuban women are awful in this country; that's a lie, a Cuban woman is just as great as any other." From there, the creator builds his argument with images of his clean house, the pool, the freshly washed truck, and a bouquet of flowers purchased for his partner, who works and arrives home at eight in the evening.
"Look, my wife is working, and right now, when she gets home at eight from work, I have her dinner ready here so that when she arrives, everything is set," he says while showing the salad and yuca he prepared. The message he is trying to convey is that he fulfills his part and expects reciprocity from his partner.
The harshest criticism of the video is not directed at women, but at those Cuban men who, according to the creator, arrive abroad and confine their partners out of fear of infidelity, prevent them from working, or outright force them into prostitution. "It's not that Cuban women are this or that, it's that you get trapped in a mindset when you arrive in this country," he states, adding, "You don't want the boss to go out, or you force her into prostitution, or you don't want her to leave the house out of fear that she might cheat."
It also targets those who prefer leisure over responsibility: "You work, you fight, you deal with it, don’t just lounge around on the PlayStation all the time because that won't solve anything."
Her central thesis can be summarized in a phrase that is repeated at the end of the clip: "the Cuban woman is a boss who likes to live well, let your boss live well."
The video is part of a debate that has been ongoing on TikTok within the Cuban community abroad for years. In May of this year, Cuban Bryan Zaballa divided Cuban women in Miami into two groups based on their romantic motivations, sparking a wave of reactions. Weeks later, the son of comedian Antolín El Pichón went viral with a theory explaining why Cuban women might be considered "toxic," amassing over 22,300 views.
In the opposite vein, the TikToker La Pauty defended Cuban women who emigrated with foreigners, arguing that poverty pushed them to make that decision, in a nearly ten-minute video that also sparked widespread debate.
What sets the clip by "ivancito91" apart from others of its kind is its tone of male self-criticism: instead of pointing fingers at women, he holds himself up as an example and proposes a specific model of behavior, supported by images of the home he maintains. "Do things right," he concludes, before finishing with a brief, "I'll leave that to you."
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