Eliécer Ávila and Destino Spark Social Media Clash: “We Who Flee Communism Cherish U.S. Freedom”

A heated online exchange has erupted between Cuban dissident Eliécer Ávila and Dominican YouTuber Dany Pérez, known as Destino Tolk, igniting a fervent discussion about patriotism, exile, and life in the United States, particularly among Latin American immigrants. The controversy began when Destino, a Florida resident and regular participant in Miami's Cuban entertainment debates, released a video criticizing certain Latin American migrants who, in his view, "reject their countries of origin" after acquiring foreign citizenship.

“People need to stop being sycophants... Tomorrow, I might have a U.S. passport, but I'll always be Dominican, with all its faults and virtues,” he stated. “When some people arrive and think they're more American than Americans themselves, harming their people, snitching on them, mocking them... it looks dirty and disgusting,” he concluded.

Eliécer Ávila's Firm Rebuttal: "Migrating Is Not the Same as Fleeing"

Eliécer Ávila, a staunch opponent of the Cuban regime, responded decisively. Drawing from his own experience as a political exile, he emphasized that not all migrants arrive in the U.S. under the same circumstances. “It's not the same coming from a free but poorer country to a free but wealthier one,” the activist declared. “You've never been jailed for your ideas, never faced public shaming, never had your family fired. It's not the same feeling,” he argued, highlighting the stark contrast between a Cuban's persecuted experience and that of other continental migrants.

Ávila went further, questioning the expectation for Cubans to speak positively of their homeland when many arrive scarred by repression and poverty. “I don't have to be an ambassador promoting the wonders of Cuba to the world, because that would make me a liar,” he stated.

The Dominican YouTuber's response was swift. Destino Tolk, also known as Destino Positivo, fired back with a direct and indignant message. “Manipulating won't end my platform. I never mentioned a country, I said some Latinos!” he wrote, defending his right to prioritize his native land without attacking anyone.

“If you think you're American without being one, that's your problem. Someone who doesn't love their country doesn't love their mother,” Pérez retorted. In his rebuttal, he accused Ávila of having lived well in Cuba, calling him “Mr. Minister,” and concluded with a phrase that further fueled the controversy: “Good thing you mentioned me, now I have an excuse to shoot straight at your chest, sycophant. You're Cuban, not American.”

In another video defending against the criticism, Destino expressed his connection to the Dominican Republic. “With its faults and virtues, I love my land with all my heart. No country stands above that flag,” he said. He also shared his childhood experiences in a poor neighborhood, raised amid hardships: “I went hungry, witnessed the government's poor education and lack of opportunities, but even so, that land is in my soul.”

A Conflict with a History: “I'm Coming for You, Eliécer”

This isn't the first public confrontation between the two. Back in April, Destino threatened to expose Ávila's alleged communist past at the University of Informatics Sciences in Cuba to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “You belonged to the Communist Party. I have proof. Tomorrow, I'm coming for you, Eliécer,” he said sarcastically, referring to the deportations of former communists seeking asylum in the U.S.

These statements sparked outrage among exiled Cubans but also raised questions about the political history of public figures now presenting themselves as dissidents.