A Cuban woman living in Florianópolis, Brazil, found herself at a loss for words when a friend she attempted to assist blocked her on social media. This unexpected turn of events unfolded because she couldn't accommodate her friend at her home. The woman, known on TikTok as @maikelis910, shared her story in a video that has garnered over 16,000 views, sparking a heated discussion among the Cuban diaspora.
The situation began when some friends from Cuba reached out to inquire about the prospects of emigrating to Brazil. During the conversation, one of them asked if she could stay at her house until she found a place to rent. The Cuban, who has been residing in Santa Catarina for two years and works as a cook from Monday to Friday, explained that her lease restricts the number of occupants in her apartment, making it impossible for her to comply.
"I can help you find a place to rent so that when you arrive, you'll have somewhere to stay, but I can't take you into my home because that's not how things work here," she explained to her friend.
Rather than accepting this, the friend's husband joined the call, casting doubt on the Cuban woman's explanation: "Don't believe everything she's telling you because we were told one thing and she's saying another," he can be heard saying in the video.
Despite this, the Cuban woman maintained her offer to help find a rental before her friend's arrival and assured that her husband, who works as an Uber driver in Florianópolis, would pick her up at the airport without any issue. The friend said she would think about it and shortly afterward blocked her.
"I didn't say anything bad; I just explained how things work and that I could support her, but couldn't house her, and then I got blocked," she recounted, visibly bewildered.
In the video, she also debunked a widespread myth among Cubans planning to move to Brazil: that "money is given away" there. She clarified that there is a social assistance program called Bolsa Familia for low-income families, which requires formal processes with CPF, registration in CadÚnico, and system enrollment, and is not automatically available to newcomers.
The storyteller made her way to Brazil via Venezuela, entering through Pacaraima, initially heading to Curitiba, which she describes as "the only place Cubans know when they leave Cuba." However, a fellow Cuban she met along the way persuaded her to go to Florianópolis, where an already established Cuban helped her secure housing and settle down. Since then, she has generously returned the favor to many others: "I've helped everyone I could in this country without expecting anything in return."
This episode highlights a recurring tension within the Cuban emigrant community in Brazil, where Cuban asylum requests exceeded 41,900 in 2025, an 88% increase from the previous year. Between January and April 2026, an additional 13,414 requests were recorded, with Curitiba and Florianópolis being among the cities with the highest concentration of Cubans.
She concluded the video with a sense of resignation: "God knows what He's doing, who He places in your life, and who He removes."
Understanding Cuban Immigration Challenges in Brazil
Why did the Cuban woman refuse to host her friend?
The Cuban woman explained that her lease agreement limits the number of people who can stay in her apartment, preventing her from hosting her friend.
What is Bolsa Familia in Brazil?
Bolsa Familia is a social assistance program in Brazil designed for low-income families. It requires registration and is not automatically available to new immigrants.
What was the Cuban woman's experience when she first arrived in Brazil?
Upon arriving in Brazil, she was initially headed to Curitiba but was persuaded by another Cuban to go to Florianópolis, where she received assistance in finding a place to stay.