A Cuban woman on TikTok, known as @rieteconary, has responded to a comment by criticizing the behavior of some newly arrived Cubans in the United States. According to her, these individuals often fail to contribute to the households that take them in and instead prioritize sending money and recharge cards back to Cuba.
In her video, she shared her own experience of hosting six people in her home, who did not provide any financial support and eventually distanced themselves from her. “I open the doors of my house, my sanctuary, my home... I offer you a roof, I give you a bed... and today, none of them speak to me,” she expressed.
@rieteconary emphasized that although not all newcomers behave this way, she believes the majority do. She stated that many prefer to "send recharges to Cuba, packages to Cuba, money to Cuba," rather than first focusing on establishing themselves in their new environment. “If you don't help yourself first, you can't help anyone else,” she asserted, criticizing that many migrants become estranged from their family or friends after receiving initial help.
Community Reactions
The video has sparked numerous reactions of support and comments from users who have had similar experiences: “That's why I neither recharge nor send anything. Let everyone fend for themselves”; “Exactly, my brother-in-law came, and I ended up on the street”; “You are absolutely right, I went through the same thing, and now I'm the bad one”; “Couldn't be clearer”; “You are so right, unfortunately”; “I helped in Uruguay, and now they don’t even talk to me, and before leaving Cuba, they were good friends.”
Mixed Responses
However, there were also criticisms of the video’s tone. One user commented: “How do you expect gratitude with that aggression? Do good without expecting anything in return,” which elicited a humorous response from the creator.
Despite the mixed opinions, the debate ignited by this video highlights a recurring tension within the Cuban diaspora. The expectations of assistance and the lack of reciprocity often lead to conflicts among community members.