Sandro Castro, the grandson of Cuba's notorious dictator Fidel Castro, has once again stirred controversy on social media. In a recent Instagram video, he mocked the power outages affecting Spain and Portugal, in his usual fashion of making light of the daily hardships faced by the Cuban populace.
Appearing in a carefree and sarcastic manner, the "grandson" donned a t-shirt featuring his grandfather's face with the phrase “Ahí na má.” Holding two palm fronds, he performed one of his typical spins down a deserted residential street as the sun set. “What a blast, man! The day’s perfect for some shade, because Europe has lots of blackouts and we enjoy the darkness. I’m off to my ranch, man!” Sandro exclaimed in the video, overlaid with the words “the only vampire immune to the sun.”
The video seems to have been filmed in the upscale Havana neighborhood of Siboney, a place where the dictator once had homes and where members of the regime’s elite and diplomatic corps currently reside. Once again, Sandro highlights his privileged status by referring to “his ranch,” one of the many Castro family mansions, starkly contrasting with the everyday Cuban who grapples with outages exceeding 12 hours, food shortages, and a near-total collapse of public services.
The t-shirt with his grandfather's image is more than a fashion choice: it symbolizes the link between the main architect of Cuba's energy disaster and the privileged descendant who has never experienced a blackout. It connects the disastrous messianism of the bearded leader with the unparalleled frivolity of his smooth-faced progeny.
Fidel Castro himself initiated the so-called "energy revolution" in the 2000s, imposing a series of ineffective and costly measures. He replaced thermal power plants with low-efficiency generators, spread faulty transformers, and overloaded an obsolete electrical grid, which led to setbacks across all economic and social sectors in the country.
Today, these decisions weigh heavily on the lives of millions of Cubans trapped in a systemic crisis, starkly evident in the daily darkness of their homes. This is where the so-called "continuity" led by Miguel Díaz-Canel comes into play: to maintain the illusion of a heroic historical continuum, transforming yesterday's "revolution of, for, and with the humble" into today's state-controlled capitalism governed by the Castro family and their subservient oligarchs.
While Sandro mocks the context in which the majority lives, thousands of Cuban families continue to suffer the consequences of reckless policies. The phrase "I’m off to my ranch," used mockingly, is a direct affront to a people enduring a severe housing crisis, with homes in ruins, living in precarious shelters, and displaced individuals ignored by the authorities.
The video exemplifies the disdain and disconnection of the ruling class, symbolized by Sandro Castro, for whom widespread misery remains a spectacle viewed from the comfort of his privileges.
This isn’t the first time Sandro Castro has sparked outrage with his posts. In December 2024, he celebrated his birthday at his bar EFE in Havana amidst a nationwide blackout, an act perceived as contempt for the hardships faced by the Cuban people.
Understanding the Controversy Surrounding Sandro Castro
Who is Sandro Castro?
Sandro Castro is the grandson of Fidel Castro, the former dictator of Cuba. He is known for his controversial social media posts that often mock the hardships faced by the Cuban population.
Why did Sandro Castro's video cause outrage?
The video caused outrage because Sandro Castro mocked the power outages in Europe while making light of the severe blackouts experienced by ordinary Cubans. His flippant attitude and privileged position highlighted the disconnect between the ruling elite and the struggles of everyday people in Cuba.
What is the significance of the t-shirt Sandro Castro wore in the video?
The t-shirt bearing Fidel Castro's image is significant as it symbolizes the connection between the disastrous energy policies implemented by Fidel Castro and the privilege enjoyed by his descendants, who are unaffected by the everyday hardships faced by most Cubans.