A recently released video captures Lieutenant Colonel Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, also known as "El Cangrejo" and the grandson of the dictatorial general Raúl Castro, dancing in the front row at a concert featuring reggaeton artists Dany Ome and Kevincito El 13 in Santiago de Cuba. The event occurred under heavy police surveillance and within a restricted access environment.
The footage, shared by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, was taken during a performance on the main stage of the political-cultural project “Todo X Santiago” on Sunday, July 27, at the Alameda in Santiago. This event was part of the “Rumbón Mayor” that concluded the 2025 Carnival.
The video shows El Cangrejo, son of the late General Luis Alberto Rodríguez López-Calleja and Déborah Castro Espín, enjoying the concert alongside figures such as Juan Guillermo Almeida (JG), son of Commander Juan Almeida Bosque. They were all guarded by the Ministry of the Interior's security detail, while the general populace struggles under the weight of the country's ongoing crisis.
Mayeta's reports criticize that the event was conducted under strict state surveillance, with cameras and security personnel restricting access to areas where the dictator's grandson was present. "While the people endure censorship, repression, and blackouts, the regime's grandchildren revel to reggaeton beats in secured venues," the journalist lambasted.
El Cangrejo's appearance adds to the controversy already surrounding the urban artists due to their initial connection with a concert promoted by Almeida. Although Dany Ome and Kevincito El 13 attempted to distance themselves from the official event by rescheduling their performance, they ended up closing the festive day organized by the regime to commemorate July 26.
The stark social contrast was another heavily criticized aspect. "Under state security protection, in a city where many families remain in darkness due to blackouts, the urban duo performs for an exclusive audience," Mayeta wrote. "The music plays, yes... but so do the echoes of indignation. Santiago won’t forget that forced joy doesn’t erase the surrounding darkness," the journalist concluded.
This is not the first time El Cangrejo has been spotted at high-profile parties or concerts. In 2017, he was recorded dancing in Varadero with Gente de Zona, wearing a personalized t-shirt with his nickname. His latest appearance reignites public outrage as he emerges amid a Cuba steeped in shortages, lack of medicine, blackouts, and despair.
Key Questions on Recent Events in Santiago de Cuba
Who is "El Cangrejo"?
"El Cangrejo" is the alias of Lieutenant Colonel Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, grandson of the former Cuban leader Raúl Castro.
What was the purpose of the event in Santiago de Cuba?
The event was part of the “Rumbón Mayor,” concluding the 2025 Carnival in Santiago de Cuba, organized under the political-cultural project “Todo X Santiago.”
Why is there controversy surrounding El Cangrejo's appearance at the concert?
His appearance is controversial due to the stark contrast between the protected and exclusive concert environment and the everyday struggles faced by the Cuban populace, including censorship and blackouts.