The Cuban influencer Kevin Hernández sparked a new controversy on social media after posting a reel on Instagram in which he expressed feeling "rejection," "hatred," and "disgust" towards everything related to poverty, and advised his followers to adopt the same mindset as a drive for personal improvement.
The video, recorded from a café in what the creator described as "the best neighborhood in my city" in Curitiba, Brazil, where he has lived since emigrating from Cuba in May 2025, opened with a statement that quickly divided opinions: "I feel such a rejection of poor things, poor food, poor places, a poor environment, poor thinking, everything related to poverty; I feel a very strong rejection, a hatred."
Kevin, 21, tried to clarify the message by stating that feeling that rejection "does not mean you are going to treat other people poorly," but rather it should serve as motivation to work towards a better life.
However, the way he illustrated his argument sparked as much debate, if not more, than the idea itself: he mentioned Gucci bags ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 reais and Dior makeup at Sephora as examples of what everyone would wish to possess, and confessed that he has "nightmares about having to give up the life I have to work in a supermarket restocking items for 2,000 or 3,000 reais."
The phrase that resonated most with her followers was one that blends pride with a sense of distance from her origins: "Precisely because I know where I came from, I know where I don't want to go back."
The comments were divided between those who accused him of arrogance and those who defended the essence of his message. One user responded harshly: "Son, you have a long way to go in life. No matter how many millions you have, nothing and no one will erase the fact that you were born into poverty." Another was even more direct: "That arrogance will be your worst enemy. That says it all."
There were also those who questioned his value system: "Is your definition of rich, good, and wealth Gucci, Dior, and Sephora? Kevin, you have so much to learn!"
A 74-year-old follower wrote an extensive comment reminding him where his audience comes from: "Always remember that those of us who follow you are not millionaires; we are people who work or, like me, live on a pension. Those of us who, in one way or another, have made it possible for you to succeed, especially from Cuba."
Other users came to his defense, arguing that the video is simply content: "People don't understand that it's content. Everyone likes good things." Kevin himself replied in the comments that he has never treated anyone poorly and that those who know him describe him as "a sweetheart."
It is not the first time that this digital creator, who emigrated from Cuba along with fellow YouTuber and ex-partner Dariel Vázquez, has been involved in such controversy. In May 2026, he was accused of xenophobia for comments about housing in Brazil.
The controversy arises in a context of mass exodus: more than 33,000 Cubans sought asylum in Brazil in the first nine months of 2026, many of whom have documented on social media a life of apparent prosperity that does not always reflect the reality of migration.
Filed under: