Sandro Castro's Social Media: A Platform for Mockery While Cubans Face Jail for Speaking Out

In Cuba, many citizens are penalized with fines, harassment, or even imprisonment for voicing opinions against the regime on social media. Meanwhile, Sandro Castro, the grandson of dictator Fidel Castro, uses his digital platforms to publicly mock the Cuban people with impunity.

In his latest Instagram post, Sandro sparked outrage by sharing a video discussing a nonsensical term he calls "hydropene mode." In the video, he laughs and makes mocking gestures, claiming it's a substance that affects the brain and makes one want to continuously say "pene, pene, pene, pene..." This video, shared in a humorous tone, aligns with his exhibitionist and provocative online style.

Far from being an isolated incident, this behavior is part of a series of posts where Sandro Castro flaunts his life of luxury, parties, and high-end cars. He openly or indirectly mocks the hardships faced by the Cuban people, all while benefiting from his family name and the social and legal shield it provides as a descendant of the family that has ruled the island for over six decades.

In stark contrast, in the same country where Sandro shares his "content" without repercussions, other young Cubans have been sentenced for writing phrases on Facebook, uploading critical songs, or even sharing memes. Sandro's impunity highlights the imbalance of power within Cuba and fuels social resentment in a nation plagued by censorship, scarcity, and repression against those who dare to think differently.

Sandro's "mode" appears to be nothing more than a reflection of an elite that is disconnected, arrogant, and insulated from the repression endured by the Cuban populace. In one of his recent appearances, he posted an Instagram image flanked by two men resembling bodyguards, captioning it mockingly with "with the power rangers," interpreted as yet another provocation from his privileged position protected by impunity.

Just days prior, Sandro outraged many by stating on social media that if a medicine "can be missing, let it be missing," ridiculing the basic healthcare needs of the Cuban people amid a structural crisis. These messages are part of a pattern, including a peculiar congratulatory message to Cuban youth filled with incoherent phrases, again delivered in his typical boastful and disconnected manner from the national reality.

Sandro Castro's ongoing provocative attitude is not new. In previous weeks, he has continued to stir controversy with absurd posts or by participating in viral trends where he wastes Cristal beer in front of his bar EFE, located in El Vedado, while the population faces power outages and shortages of basic goods with few alternatives.