During the 63rd episode of their podcast, the Spanish YouTubers from the channel Black Mango recounted their frightening experience of being summoned by Cuban government agents during their recent trip to the island. What was initially meant to be a documentary project quickly turned into a chilling experience filled with surveillance, harassment, and fear.
The ordeal began with the posting of what seemed like an innocuous story, showcasing the dilapidation of a neighborhood near Havana's Capitolio. "It was just a 40-second clip where we were talking," they explained on their podcast. However, the story quickly gained traction, spreading across social media and online platforms, triggering the regime's alarms.
The tension escalated when someone they had crossed paths with during their visit approached them in tears, showing them a piece of news about their viral story. "Look at what they just sent me, and I'm scared because they're with me," the person said.
That same day, they received a chilling phone call: government officials were demanding an urgent meeting. At that moment, the three creators realized they were in serious trouble. Despite trying to remain calm, they understood that this was no casual chat. "When they say they want to see you 'to talk,' you know it's not just a friendly conversation," they mentioned.
One of them even devised an "emergency plan" should things spiral out of control, which included embassy locations, external contacts, and a secret signal for a potential escape.
A Tense Confrontation
The meeting eventually took place in the apartment where they were staying. Two agents, one in uniform and the other in civilian clothes, insisted on entering despite the group's initial refusal. "In Cuba, this infiltration happens often," they commented. "People appear to be civilians but work for the government, watching everything you do without you noticing."
During the interrogation, the officers criticized the viral story: "It's causing a bad image," they said. The YouTubers responded that their intention was not to attack the regime, though they openly admitted: "It's a dictatorship, there's no denying it." One of them even boldly told the officers that the internet in Cuba "is terrible."
The agents requested their phones, examined their posts, and searched for contradictions in their responses. "They asked for our passports, and that's when we got really worried. We thought: they're going to take them away," they recounted. Though they weren't detained, the uncertainty lingered until the very end. "We didn't know if they would let us leave the country or arrest us at the airport."
Reflections on Cuban Reality
Eventually, they managed to board their return flight, but the experience left them deeply concerned for the Cuban people. "If they do this to us, as foreigners, over a story, what do they do to the average Cuban?" they wondered. "How many disappear without anyone knowing?"
Beyond the fear, the YouTubers were also moved by the courage of those who, despite the risks, chose to speak in front of their cameras. One individual, tired of staying silent, insisted on appearing in the documentary: "I've already lost everything. If I have to go to prison, then let them imprison me."
The journey of Black Mango concluded with their freedom intact, but their testimony starkly reveals the harsh reality that thousands of Cubans face daily: repression, constant surveillance, and punishment for speaking their minds. A dictatorship that doesn't tolerate even an Instagram story.
This incident parallels the case of Eva Cavero and Andrés Izarnótegui, a Peruvian tourist couple deported from Cuba in September 2024 after filming videos for their channel La Blue Kombi. On that occasion, authorities removed them from their hotel at dawn, interrogated them for 12 hours, confiscated their equipment, searched their phones, and expelled them without allowing them to contact their embassy or retrieve their belongings. The charge: "damaging the country's image."
Both cases highlight a growing pattern of repression against foreign content creators documenting Cuban reality from a critical or independent perspective. The Cuban regime maintains strict control over content that can circulate in and out of the island, especially those highlighting scarcity, poverty, or criticisms of the system.
Understanding the Risks for Content Creators in Cuba
What triggered the Cuban government's response to Black Mango's story?
The Cuban government reacted to Black Mango's story because it went viral and depicted the deterioration of a neighborhood near Havana's Capitolio, potentially harming the regime's image.
How did the YouTubers prepare for their meeting with Cuban officials?
One of the YouTubers devised an emergency plan, including embassy locations, external contacts, and a secret signal, in case they needed to escape quickly.
What was the outcome of the meeting between Black Mango and Cuban officials?
Although they were not detained, the YouTubers faced intense scrutiny and were worried about being barred from leaving Cuba. They were eventually able to return home safely.