A Cuban content creator, known as @yuyudecuba on TikTok, recently documented her voluntary return to Cuba from Guyana, where she had been living for about a year. In a candid video, she shared the personal reasons behind her decision to move back to the island, despite having a successful life abroad.
While packing her suitcases, she acknowledged that her followers might not understand her choice: “I know those of you watching now might not get why, if I’m doing so well, I want to go back to Cuba,” she noted.
Her explanation was deeply personal: “I have my home there, my family, my entire world.” Additionally, she expressed an emotional need that was hard to quantify: “Every process is different, and I need to immerse myself and live in my homeland.”
The decision was not made lightly; it took her five and a half months of planning before she could actualize her return. Securing flights was a major challenge: “We literally spent a week just looking for tickets to travel to Cuba,” she explained, promising to later reveal the airline and costs involved.
She traveled with two personal suitcases and a third filled solely with gifts and essential items for the island, a common practice among those returning after time abroad.
At the time of posting the video, she was unsure of when she might leave again: “Leaving is a definite plan, but when I’ll return outside is still unclear.”
She admitted the emotions she was experiencing were indescribable: “The emotions I’m living through right now, I can’t even explain them. I've felt so much in such a short time.”
Concluding the video, she posed a question to her followers: “If you had the chance to return to Cuba, would you go back too?”
The case of @yuyudecuba is part of a growing trend of voluntary returns to Cuba seen across social media in 2025 and 2026, primarily driven by family ties, property ownership, and emotional fatigue from life abroad.
Other documented cases include Malena Mendoza, who returned from Costa Rica in May 2026 for her five-year-old daughter’s emotional well-being, and a Cuban woman who left the United States, citing her house, car, and family in Cuba as reasons.
This trend coexists with a massive Cuban migration wave that shows no signs of abating. In the first half of 2025 alone, Brazil received 19,419 asylum requests from Cubans, a 60.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Guyana, where @yuyudecuba resided, often serves as a transit route to Brazil for Cuban migrants, who can enter without a visa. It also functions as a temporary work destination.
The creator had previously shared her emotional farewell to her family in Cuba in June 2025 before heading to Guyana, and in May 2026, she spoke about the costs of migration, noting that Cubans need around $5,000 to emigrate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Returning to Cuba
Why do some Cubans choose to return to Cuba despite success abroad?
Many Cubans return due to strong family ties, property ownership, and the emotional need to reconnect with their homeland, despite having a stable life elsewhere.
What challenges do Cubans face when returning to the island?
Returning to Cuba can be challenging due to logistical issues such as securing flights and dealing with the emotional complexities of leaving a successful life abroad.
How does the current migration trend affect Cuba?
The ongoing wave of Cuban migration contributes to a dynamic where some choose to return for emotional and familial reasons, while others continue to seek refuge abroad due to economic and political pressures.