A Cuban boy living in Miami has become the star of a viral video where he directly addresses Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel, criticizing the lack of access that children on the island have to amenities he enjoys in his backyard in the United States.
The video, shared on TikTok by his mother under the handle @miladysmoreno3 on June 22, is only 39 seconds long. It showcases the child listing the items available to him: a barbecue, a bounce house, chairs, a motorcycle, a gym, and a basketball court.
"Look, Díaz-Canel, do you think kids in Cuba and people in Cuba know what this is? Let Cuban children have this because if not, I'm going to tell Donald Trump to step in," the boy says with a striking naturalness that captivated thousands of viewers. "And all this is in my backyard," he concludes in the video.
His mother, Miladys, elaborated in the video description about the inspiration behind the clip: "He always looks for an opportunity to talk about Cuba and why children there cannot have access to the most basic things that anyone can have here."
By Thursday, the video had amassed 49,200 views, 3,163 likes, 245 comments, and 293 shares, highlighting the impact of his message within the Cuban diaspora community.
Voices of the Diaspora: Children Speak Out
This child's plea is not an isolated incident. In June 2025, another Cuban child went viral with a similar message to Díaz-Canel after experiencing a brief power outage in a U.S. mall: "Hey Díaz-Canel, look, I bought a phone, and here in the U.S., the power doesn't go out," he said, also imploring that Cubans not be deported back to the island.
These examples illustrate how a new generation of Cuban children raised in exile are expressing their comparisons between life outside Cuba and the hardships faced by their peers on the island, using social media as their platform.
Stark Realities on the Island
The crisis in Cuba is dire. As per the Food Monitor Program, by April 2026, 96.91% of the Cuban population lacked adequate access to food. A staggering 48.5% of children aged six to 11 were not receiving any meals in schools, over 100,000 children were missing out on state-provided milk, and 9% of children under five were suffering from severe nutritional deprivation, according to UNICEF. Power outages exceed 20 hours daily in some areas.
The contrast is even more poignant considering that on June 1, Díaz-Canel celebrated Cuban children, calling them "treasures," while the harsh reality they face starkly contradicts any official rhetoric.
Generational Echoes of Change
In April 2026, a Cuban father in the U.S. also went viral on TikTok by showcasing the disparity between his childhood in Cuba—without a private room, personal bed, air conditioning, or secure food—and the life his daughters enjoy today outside the island.
Infant mortality rates in Cuba doubled to 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2026, starkly summarizing the grim reality of growing up on the island under 67 years of communist rule.
Insights into Cuban Children's Struggles
What did the young Miami boy say to Díaz-Canel in the video?
The boy urged Díaz-Canel to allow Cuban children to have access to the same amenities he enjoys, warning he would involve Donald Trump if changes weren't made.
How severe is the food crisis in Cuba?
As of April 2026, 96.91% of Cubans faced food inadequacy, with severe nutritional deprivation affecting children, reflecting a deepening crisis.
How are Cuban children in the diaspora raising awareness about the situation in Cuba?
Cuban children in exile are using social media to vocalize the stark differences between their lives and those of children in Cuba, often going viral with their messages.