Miguel Viera, a well-known lawyer with thousands of followers on Facebook due to his sharp reflections on Cuban reality, recently witnessed his eldest daughter leaving for abroad, an event he describes as leaving him "broken." These familial farewells, which have become a common occurrence in a country falling apart, have inspired a heart-wrenching reflection that Viera believes will resonate with thousands of Cubans.
He recounts that the unavoidable reality of seeing his daughter leave began a year ago when, as she started her senior year of high school, he received a devastating response upon asking her what career she would pursue. "None, Dad. My future won't be in Cuba. I'm not going to live in this country!" was the reply that, although Viera didn't take seriously at the time, culminated a year later in a farewell.
Below, we reproduce in full—because its clarity cannot be paraphrased—the gut-wrenching reasoning with which Manuel Viera has summarized a reality affecting thousands of Cuban families who, in recent years, have bid goodbye to what they love most in life.
"Today, my daughter left for a country in the European Union, a place where the language is strange and the weather is cold, but a country where she won't shout slogans or waste her life in lines and blackouts. This is the reality we Cubans live! Our youth are leaving while still almost children because there is no future in this hell, and I am no one to clip her wings... especially because all of us with gray hair who wasted our lives listening to lies regret not having done the same.
The separation of Cuban families hurts deeply, and it is the only thing that cursed communism can offer us beyond its worn-out rhetoric, promises, and restrictions that tear pieces from our souls. It hurts to see children leave, mothers parting without their kids, grandparents raising babies! It hurts to be increasingly alone among lies and promises... The perpetuity and continuity of ignominy hurt, while the disgust for communism and its diabolical machinery of breaking humans, dreams, and love grows every day without masks.
I hate communism because it impoverishes, it hurts, and it is only efficient at causing suffering, distributing pain, hunger, and misery. I hate the communism that has left us alone, alone with hunger, shivering from the cold, hiding from a snowstorm, or falling victim to migrant abuse. Today my daughter left, just as your son, your mother, your brother did. Today my daughter left, and I know that, even if you don't speak, even if you fear, even if you conform, even if you have the card that nauseates me, even if you are a worker, intellectual, farmer, official, minister, or deputy... you, in silence, feel the same way I do."
Understanding the Impact of Cuban Emigration
This section addresses some frequently asked questions about the impact of the ongoing emigration crisis in Cuba, based on Miguel Viera's heartfelt reflection.
Why are so many young Cubans leaving the country?
Many young Cubans are leaving due to a lack of future prospects, economic hardships, and political repression. The current situation offers them little hope for a better life within Cuba.
How does emigration affect Cuban families?
Emigration deeply affects Cuban families by causing emotional pain due to separation. It often leaves parents, grandparents, and children apart, disrupting the family unit and creating a sense of loneliness and loss.
What are the main criticisms of the Cuban government mentioned in the article?
The article criticizes the Cuban government for its inefficiency, repression, and failure to provide basic needs and opportunities for its citizens. It highlights how the regime's policies have led to widespread suffering and disillusionment.