A video circulating on social media has sparked outrage among the Cuban exile community, depicting a Cuban emigrant openly defending the Cuban regime from Miami. The individual, identified as William Ávila Pérez, claims he will return to Cuba amid deportation measures promoted by Donald Trump. In his video, Ávila Pérez glorifies the supposed "virtues of the socialist system" and asserts that those deported from the United States will be welcomed "with open arms by the regime" and even "allowed to return to their previous jobs on the island."
The recording was shared from a pro-government profile labeling those who responded to Ávila Pérez as "haters." In the video, Ávila praises the Cuban healthcare system, ignoring its inadequacies, and describes the United States as "an evil empire." He also claims that deported Cubans will "resume their positions at work," a statement refuted by numerous testimonies and reports showing the regime's common practice of punishing returnees with social marginalization or political surveillance.
One of the first to react was Cuban journalist Ernesto Morales, who sarcastically remarked, "Here you have the revolutionary and Fidelist comrade William Ávila, who says the United States is an evil empire, and that communism 'does work.' With that plate of food, from the empire," Morales wrote alongside a picture of Ávila Pérez.
The incident has sparked a debate on the use of freedom of expression in democracy to promote regimes that deny this very right to their citizens. While Ávila praises from the safety of South Florida a system that many Cubans desperately flee, others accuse him of hypocrisy and opportunism.
This kind of content has been employed by media sympathetic to the Cuban regime to delegitimize exile denunciations and project an image of external support for the Havana government. However, migration data, repression testimonies, and the growing diaspora itself contradict this narrative.
In recent years, thousands of Cubans have left the island fleeing economic crisis, political repression, and lack of opportunities. Many have faced job expulsions, state surveillance, or discrimination for dissenting or attempting to return after residing abroad without permission.
"Send him to Oscuristan, Cuba, and after three blackouts and seeing the abundance of scarcity, I'll tell you a story about that shameless guy," commented an internet user. "I don't know how the American government can deport hundreds of people who only worked to support their families, and grant asylum to these thieving henchmen. What the government should DO is gather them all and send them as a gift to Bukele," said another. "Double standards for convenience, and there are thousands like him," concluded a third user.
In recent weeks, ICE has arrested several Cubans linked to the oppressive apparatus of the Havana regime, now facing deportation.
Controversy and Reactions to Cuban Exile's Video
Why did William Ávila Pérez's video cause outrage?
William Ávila Pérez's video sparked outrage because he openly defended the Cuban regime from Miami, a place many Cuban exiles view as a refuge from the very government he supports.
What claims did Ávila Pérez make in his video?
In his video, Ávila Pérez claimed that deported Cubans would be welcomed back by the regime and could return to their previous jobs, a statement challenged by reports of social and political repercussions against returnees.
How has the Cuban exile community reacted to the video?
The Cuban exile community has reacted with anger and accusations of hypocrisy, criticizing Ávila Pérez for praising a regime that many fled due to its repressive nature.