Influencer from Miami Sparks Viral Debate with Bold Response to Criticism

Cuban actress and influencer Eileen Morales, known on social media as @lacubanatiktok, ignited a heated discussion on TikTok after sharing a video responding to criticism about leaving her son in Cuba while she moved to the United States. The comment that prompted her reaction said, "And the child was left in Cuba, what a bad mother, now that she is well settled in the USA and doesn't bring her child over." In her response, Morales stated, "I am going to address this comment because I speak on behalf of myself and all the mothers who had to leave their children behind."

Throughout the video, the influencer defended her choice and criticized those who judge her for not having her son with her in the U.S. "Perhaps you are not Cuban or maybe you are a communist and do not understand that Cuba is under dictatorship," she expressed. "When someone has the chance to leave to secure a future for their family, they must take it, something you might not understand if you are a communist."

Morales pointed out that what truly bothers people is not her family situation but her personal success: "The issue isn't me being here while my son is in Cuba; the issue is that I'm doing well." She also remarked, "Remember, we're in the United States; the paperwork takes time, and everything is a process."

In her message, she added, "Do you know what makes a bad mother? Living in Cuba, having the opportunity to leave and provide a future, but staying because 'I can't bear to be apart from my child,' are you doing it for yourself or for your child?"

She concluded with one of her most shared phrases: "We are in a war, and sacrifices must be made in war. It's not my fault; it's the fault of a dictatorship."

The video generated thousands of comments on TikTok, splitting opinions. Some users defended her, highlighting the sacrifice involved in emigrating without children and the lengthy legal immigration processes. Others, however, questioned why her son remains on the island, suggesting that maternal love cannot be replaced by financial support.

Comments like "Get your boy, time doesn't come back" or "Love can't be replaced with money" contrast with others that acknowledge her efforts: "She is doing the paperwork to bring him legally" or "The child is with his grandmother, well-fed, with a roof and clothes. Good for you."

This isn't the first time @lacubanatiktok has publicly shared her family situation. Last April, she posted a video denouncing the deterioration of the Cuban healthcare system after several failed attempts to get her son proper medical care.

Her testimony is part of a broader narrative where other Cuban mothers have also used TikTok to shed light on this reality. In November 2024, @daynemartinez7 asserted, "Emigrating isn't for cowards," defending those who left their children behind in search of a better future.

Another viral message came from @fanylachyysubanda, who stated, "That doesn't make you any less of a mother nor does it make someone more of a mother for coming with their children," calling for empathy towards migrant mothers.

On TikTok, the story of Elvita, a Cuban mother criticized for emigrating without her son and who eventually reunited with him years later in the U.S., also circulated: "I silenced many mouths without saying a single word," she wrote in her viral post.

Stories like that of Yilian Martínez, who has been separated from her children for three years under I-220A status, reflect the emotional toll of exile and the legal obstacles many Cuban mothers face in the United States.

The public defense made by @lacubanatiktok is not merely an individual act. It is part of a larger phenomenon where thousands of Cuban women share on social media the pain, guilt, effort, and desire to provide a better future for their children, even from afar.