Latino Trivia

 I cannot find a specific link but years ago I recall reading that the Hispanic community at large sometimes refer to  Cuban immigrants by a derisive term. The reason may be the result of the "wet-foot/dry-foot" distinction allowing asylum to immigrants reaching American shores by any means while those apprehended at sea are refused asylum. 

AI returned the term gusano to be the term I had forgotten, along with a few additional terms I never heard before.

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Cuban immigrants are referred to by various special terms depending on their political status, arrival period, or regional context. While many Hispanic groups simply use the nationality term "Cubanos", several specific terms are frequently used: 

Political and Ideological Terms

• Gusano (Worm): Originally popularized by Fidel Castro's government to describe those who fled the island after the 1959 revolution, this term is sometimes used by non-Cuban Hispanics sympathetic to the Cuban government. It is widely considered a derogatory slur by Cuban exiles.
• Gusañeros: A more recent, informal blend of gusano and compañero (comrade), sometimes used for those who live in Miami but frequently return to the island to support their families. 

Arrival-Specific Terms

• Marielitos: Refers specifically to the approximately 125,000 immigrants who arrived in the 1980 Mariel boatlift.
• Balseros (Rafters): A term for those who arrived via makeshift rafts. While it can apply to other Caribbean groups like Dominicans, it is most frequently associated with Cuban immigrants who fled during the 1994 rafter crisis.
• Golden Exiles: A nickname used primarily in Puerto Rico to describe the first wave of wealthy, white Cuban professionals who arrived shortly after 1959. 

Regional and Cultural Terms

• Caribeños: South Americans often use this broader regional term for people from the Spanish Caribbean, including Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans.
• Jewban: A portmanteau used within the Hispanic community to refer specifically to Cuban immigrants of Jewish descent.
• Cubichongo: A contemporary, informal slang term sometimes used by the diaspora to express cultural pride or identity.