The Cuban Elizabeth Ponte Zaldívar reported being a victim of xenophobia and discrimination because of her nationality during a visit to an office of the Secretariat of Foreign Relations (SRE) in Cancun, Quintana Roo, where she went to apply for her Mexican passport after obtaining naturalization.
In a video shared on Instagram, the young woman recounted that an employee of the institution changed her attitude toward her when she found out that she was born in Cuba and, according to her testimony, made derogatory comments about Cubans and the ease of obtaining Mexican nationality.
"I just experienced xenophobia and discrimination at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cancún, Quintana Roo," stated Ponte Zaldívar at the beginning of his account.
The young woman explained that she had recently obtained Mexican nationality through naturalization and that she went to the federal office to apply for her first passport from that country.
"I have been living in this country for over three years, and I had never experienced anyone mistreating or discriminating against me anywhere," she assured. She added that, until that moment, her experience with customer service in Mexico had been positive.
However, she stated that the situation changed when the official reviewed her documents and learned about her country of birth.
"The lady treated me very normally until she asked me where I was from and saw my documents, which indicated that I was Cuban. Upon seeing my nationality, she made a disdainful expression and told me that I was just another Cuban and that we Cubans were invading this country," she recounted.
The statement, as she explained, took her completely by surprise. Her only immediate response was, "I don't believe it."
But, according to his testimony, the comments didn't end there.
"While doing his job, he told me that it used to be much harder to obtain Mexican nationality and that now they were giving it to us for free," he reported.
"No one has given me anything."
Ponte Zaldívar particularly rejected the questioning of the legitimacy of his naturalization, a process that requires meeting criteria established by Mexican legislation.
Naturalization is not a gift, it is a legal process recognized by the Mexican nation that, obviously, establishes requirements to obtain it," he expressed.
He also recalled that Article 1 of the Mexican Constitution prohibits discrimination based on national origin, among other reasons, and questioned how someone responsible for serving the public in a federal institution could make such comments.
"I consider it unacceptable for a person working in a public institution to discredit my nationality and make me feel inferior because of the country I come from," he/she stated.
The young woman insisted that her residency and subsequent naturalization took place through legal channels.
"I came to this country legally and I am a Mexican citizen because I met the requirements set by this country and also because I worked hard to achieve it, so no, ma'am, no one has given me anything for free," she stated.
In the message accompanying her Instagram post, she described the incident as an especially painful experience.
"It was a horrible experience. It feels really bad to be treated differently and made to feel lesser just because of your country of origin," she wrote.
She also argued that no one deserves to be treated unequally because of their roots and explained that she decided to share her experience to highlight instances of discrimination that, in her view, should have no place in society.
No person, regardless of their nationality, deserves to be discriminated against or to receive different treatment because of their roots, he stated.
Despite what happened, he made it clear that the incident does not change the affection he feels for Mexico nor his pride in having acquired a second nationality.
"I love this country, and this bad experience is not going to change the opinion I have about it," she stated.
And she concluded with a statement about her identity: “I am proud to be Cuban and now I am proud to be Cuban-Mexican.”
Reactions: support, similar experiences, and calls to report
The post provoked numerous reactions from users who expressed solidarity with the young woman, questioned the behavior attributed to the official, and shared their own experiences as migrants in Mexico.
"You shouldn't work there if you have that opinion.", commented one person, while another considered it particularly serious that such expressions come from someone who provides a public service.
A Cuban user recalled that obtaining naturalization requires time, money, and preparation, and rejected the idea that it is a benefit granted without requirements.
"It's quite curious that they claim it's free when it's a process that costs money and preparation, in addition to the fact that we meet the requirements," he wrote.
Another participant, who identified herself as Mexican, defended the need to avoid generalizations about foreigners.
"Just as there are good and bad Cubans, there are also Mexicans. We are human beings seeking a better quality of life regardless of nationality," he stated.
Several comments described similar situations in workplaces, institutions, and establishments in Cancun.
A woman claimed to have experienced mistreatment in immigration institutions and hospitals, while another said she had faced difficulties in finding employment after revealing that she was Cuban.
"Recently, I had the same experience when I went to inquire about a job; at first everything was fine, but as soon as I mentioned that I was Cuban, they told me no," shared a user.
Another resident in Cancun stated that prejudices also affect access to rental housing and job opportunities for some members of the Cuban community.
Among the responses, there were also those who recommended that Ponte file a formal complaint with the oversight mechanisms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself, so that the incidents can be investigated.
Not all participants shared the same interpretation of the issue. Some rejected the idea that the reported behavior could be attributed to Mexican society as a whole, while others discussed the migratory tensions and the prejudices faced by different nationalities.
The complainant herself had requested to avoid those generalizations at the end of her video.
"Let's stop generalizing, as there are all kinds of people in every country," he stated.
"Respect knows no nationality," the young woman summarized.
Background of discrimination against Cubans in Mexico
The complaint by Ponte Zaldívar comes months after members of the Cuban community in Cancun warned about a climate of hostility that, according to their testimonies, had begun to affect their daily lives.
In May, Cuban residents in Mexico rejected generalizations about their entire community following a violent incident between a Cuban citizen and a Mexican in Cancun that led to protests and damage to a home.
In that context, Marylín Torres Leal, president of the migrant support organization CISVAC, warned about reports of job rejection, difficulties in renting homes, and insults against Cubans in the city.
The situation prompted a group of Cubans to publicly request a response from Cuba's diplomatic authorities regarding allegations of discrimination in Quintana Roo.
In June, the government of Quintana Roo urged to avoid reprisals and stigmatization against Cuban citizens following the incidents reported in Cancun and Puerto Morelos.
The state government secretary, María Cristina Torres Gómez, then rejected the idea of holding an entire nationality responsible for the individual actions of a few people.
In May, another young Cuban reported that she had been humiliated while searching for a job in Mexico and claimed that her nationality influenced the treatment she received.
At the same time, Mexican naturalization represents for many Cuban emigrants an opportunity for stability and access to new rights.
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