"Cubans Abroad Face Financial Demands: A TikTok Debate on Family Expectations"

A Cuban woman living in Spain has sparked a heated conversation on TikTok after posting a video that openly criticizes the relentless requests for money from family and friends back in Cuba. Speaking candidly, she sheds light on the immigrant's reality. "Do people think that when they ask for €100, €150, or €50, this money just falls from the sky? I think they do," begins Chanel, a content creator known on TikTok as @chanel.165.

In her message, primarily directed at relatives contacting her from Cuba, she laments, "They say: 'you can send me €100, recharge my phone, you can, you can, you can'... without understanding the sacrifice one has to make here, not to earn €50, but to earn €5!" Chanel emphasizes that many of these individuals fail to grasp the physical and mental effort involved in working abroad.

"Here, immigrants work hard... those who don't clean in hotels, clean houses; others take care of the elderly; some work in hospitality; and men, mostly men, work in agriculture. Many women do too," she explained. She also addressed the workplace mistreatment they often endure: "You have to put up with a lot of nonsense from business owners, from employers... sometimes you just want to run away or tell them off. But you take a deep breath and remind yourself: ‘No, because this is where my salary comes from, the money for my kids.’"

Chanel pointed out that often those who ask for help are the ones who did the least for her when she lived on the island: "They get upset if you say you can't help. You're the worst person. And the most ironic part is that those who ask for help are the ones who did the least for you when you were in your country."

Support and Reflections on TikTok: "Not Everything That Glitters is Gold"

The video has garnered various supportive reactions from Cuban emigrants who relate to her experience. "Given how hard it is to earn, it's not easy. They don't understand," one user commented. Another added, "That's exactly how it is." A user living in France shared, "Almost everyone has been through this. Here in France, it's not easy. I've worked here for many years in construction. Not everything that glitters is gold."

Someone else expressed gratitude for not being in that situation: "Thank God my daughters don't ask, but it's the plain truth. It's not easy. Blessings, dear." Other users agreed that many relatives only reach out to ask for something: "I was going to ask for some money. After seeing this, I thought: I'm screwed." There were also ironic remarks: "They think money falls from the sky. Especially customers... you have to endure daily nonsense."

An Increasingly Visible Issue on Social Media

Chanel's testimony adds to a growing collection of reflections shared by Cubans in the diaspora, who express their frustration on social media about the economic pressure they feel from family members on the island.

In April 2024, Yenny González, a young woman in Miami, complained about feeling exploited by her own family: "They don't let you get ahead; everyone is on top of you," she said. She asserted that some in Cuba act with double standards: they ask for money claiming hunger and then show up with "30 boxes of cigarettes and on Saturday at the nightclub." She lamented, "I've become Cuba's slave."

Leonella, another Cuban living abroad, shared a similar sentiment, expressing her sadness that her family only contacts her when they need something. "They only call when they need something and forget that you also have a daughter, kids, family, work, and bills to pay," she stated. She also denounced the lack of gratitude: "I leave money and they want more. They don't appreciate anything."

From Spain, Kuki Acea approached the topic with humor. In a viral video, she ironically portrayed the avalanche of requests she receives every time she plans a trip to Cuba. "They tell me to bring sneakers, hair extensions, phones, medications, and even mosquito repellent," she joked. Although satirical, her message reflects a widely shared situation among emigrants: the constant expectation to resolve all the deficiencies of those living on the island from abroad.

Even from Cuba, critical voices have emerged regarding this dynamic. Azúcar de Cuba, a content creator living on the island, published a reflection questioning the distorted view many Cubans have of life outside the country. "Cubans in Cuba still think that everyone in the United States has money, that you kick a stone and $100 bills come out," she stated. She also blamed emigrants who "brag" and pretend to live luxurious lives that don't match reality.

The Other Side of the Debate: Helping Out of Personal Commitment

Amid these complaints, other Cubans abroad have defended their decision to continue helping their loved ones on the island, despite the economic sacrifice it entails. For them, it's not about obligation or pressure but an emotional commitment.

TikToker @arguelles364 called for empathy towards Cubans still living in the country. In his video titled "Cuba Hurts," he expressed: "No matter what the world says... help your family. They are living a life without a future." He acknowledged that many emigrants feel overburdened but urged not to forget those suffering the most on the island.

Also, @cindyforte from the United States showed how she organizes suitcases with food she sends monthly to her mother and nephew. "How can I not do it, if the most important people in my life are there," she said. Despite criticism from other emigrants, she insisted that nothing would stop her from continuing to help: "I will keep fighting tirelessly for you, regardless of the criticism."

In a similar vein, @laflak1304, known as La Cubanita Soñadora, responded vehemently to those questioning emigrants who support their families: "As long as I have these two hands, I work for them. I send food, clothes, whatever is needed because my mother, my sister, my family are there."

Psychologist Carelis Conde shared an emotionally charged reflection, stating: "I can't sit at the table to eat without knowing what my mom or dad is eating, not just on New Year's Eve, any day." For her, supporting family is not a political or economic issue: "It's not about money or politics; it's about blood and feelings."

This broad spectrum of testimonies—ranging from exhaustion, demands, empathy, and emotional responsibility—demonstrates that the debate over remittances is not a superficial topic, but a deeply human reality that divides and affects the Cuban diaspora.