Mayre Perez, a Cuban emigrant, shared a poignant video on Facebook as she prepared for work. Her message touches on a common debate among Cuban expatriates: the advice to "forget about Cuba" upon arriving in the United States.
In her video, Mayre recounts how she was repeatedly told to prioritize her own well-being over her family's back in Cuba. "Forget about Cuba, forget about Cuba. You have to take care of yourself first so they can be okay," is the mantra she often hears, a notion she struggles to comprehend.
Mayre's argument is forthright: she knows people who have been in the U.S. for nearly a decade and are still not settled. Meanwhile, her family in Cuba cannot afford to wait that long to eat.
"If I know people here who have been around for 8 or 10 years and still aren't okay, can you imagine my family in Cuba waiting all that time to eat while I get settled? They'd starve," she expresses in her video.
With refreshing honesty, Mayre shares her personal circumstances, resonating with thousands of viewers: "Here, I don't even have a picture frame. I have nothing. Just a sofa and a TV. But my family eats in Cuba."
Redefining 'Well-being'
For Mayre, the idea of being "well-off" is subjective and unrelated to material wealth. "Maybe for you, being okay means having gold chains, a Lamborghini, or a jacuzzi. Not for me. For me, being okay is knowing my family is okay. If they're alright, I'm at peace here," she explains.
Her video, which ends with the question, "What do you think?", garnered over 45,700 views, 1,524 likes, and 457 comments.
Survival, Not Philosophy
The dilemma Mayre presents is far from philosophical; it is a stark reality. According to the "En Cuba Hay Hambre 2025" survey by the Food Monitor Program, hunger afflicted 33.9% of Cuban households in 2025, a significant rise from the previous year.
Statistics reveal that 25% of Cubans go to bed without dinner, 29% of families have cut out a daily meal, and 79.4% of households spend over 80% of their income on food.
The Urgency of Remittances
With domestic production plummeting—pork by 93.2%, rice by 59%, eggs by 43%, and milk by 37.6%—the debate over remittances becomes urgent. Some claim that sending money props up the regime by easing its social obligations. However, most emigrants, like Mayre, prioritize their family's immediate needs over political considerations.
This latter group argues that waiting years to be "okay" before helping is not an option when a remittance can mean the difference between eating or not in Cuba.
Remittances are a form of sacrifice, not luxury, transferring pain without addressing the systemic issues causing the crisis. Historically, remittances to Cuba exceed $3.5 billion annually, benefiting 60% of families on the island. These figures underscore the extent to which many Cubans' daily survival relies on choices made by relatives abroad, like Mayre, who choose family over personal luxuries.
Key Questions on Supporting Family in Cuba
Why do some Cuban emigrants struggle with the advice to "forget about Cuba"?
Many Cuban emigrants find it difficult to "forget about Cuba" because their families rely on their support for basic needs like food. The idea of prioritizing their well-being over their family's immediate needs is hard to accept when their loved ones face hunger and scarcity.
How does the economic situation in Cuba affect the debate on remittances?
Cuba's collapsing economy, with drastic reductions in food production, makes remittances crucial for survival. Many families depend on financial support from abroad to meet their basic needs, influencing the urgency and ethical considerations of sending money back home.