Son of Cuban Leader Serenades 'Cuban Collaborators' in Venezuela at Politically Charged Event

The musical group D’Cuba, led by Miguel Díaz-Canel Villanueva, son of Cuba's ruler, recently performed in Caracas. This concert was a segment of the official Cuban delegation's activities during the International Business Round hosted in Venezuela. As covered by Cuban Television, the show was dedicated to the so-called 'Cuban collaborators' who are engaged in a variety of missions—ranging from medical to repressive—in Venezuela, blending music with political propaganda.

Held at the Poliedro de Caracas, the event was sponsored by Venezuela's Ministry of Tourism and organized by the Cuban embassy. Fernando León Jacomino, Cuba’s Deputy Minister of Culture who attended the event, stated that the concert was a replication of a performance from the economic forum's opening, now intended for Cuban cooperatives.

Interestingly, since August 2024, Venezuela’s Ministry of Tourism has been led by Leticia Cecilia Gómez Hernández, a Cuban who became a naturalized Venezuelan. She arrived in Venezuela in 2001 with the help of Cuba's Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, swiftly ascending within the sector.

D’Cuba, a band of young musicians without a substantial national presence, kicked off the evening with songs from their debut album and teased some tracks from an upcoming release. They later shared the stage with the Santiago-based sextet, Ecos del Tívoli.

Díaz-Canel Villanueva infused the event with political tones, stating, "This is a tremendous opportunity to sing for the Cuban collaborators, our brothers from the homeland, who undertake such significant, selfless work, truly good people." He labeled the concert as one of the most important of his life. His statements, brimming with patriotic allusions and praise for the cooperatives' "work," contrast starkly with his band’s modest artistic acclaim, which independent critics argue benefits more from his father’s name than from musical talent.

The choice of D’Cuba to represent Cuban culture on the international stage has not gone unnoticed. In a country teeming with highly skilled musicians, selecting a relatively amateur band led by the leader’s son underscores allegations of nepotism and favoritism within the cultural sphere.

This is not the first time the young Díaz-Canel’s presence at official events has sparked controversy. Recently, he was seen alongside Nicolás Maduro at a celebration of Fidel Castro's birth, and his involvement was criticized on social media for the ambiguity surrounding his role as either an artist or an official representative.

The Caracas concert aligns with Havana's strategy to strengthen ties with Caracas amid the crises both regimes face. It also highlights how the presidential family secures privileged positions in areas where other artists, with more experience and recognition, remain sidelined.

Miguel Díaz-Canel Villanueva, known artistically as Miguel DeCuba, has built his musical career under institutional support. Founded in 2017, his band has found platforms in universities, festivals, and official events, promoted as part of the "young art" backed by the pro-government Asociación Hermanos Saíz.

Beyond his artistic pursuits, the son of the leader appointed by Raúl Castro has publicly declared political loyalty to his father. After the mass protests on July 11, 2021, which were violently suppressed in Cuba, he posted a message on social media echoing the official slogan: "For whatever is needed, dad, for whatever is needed! Homeland or Death!" In that same post, he supported the presidential call to confront protesters in the streets, a stance criticized by artists and citizens inside and outside Cuba.

Since then, his rhetoric has remained aligned with the official narrative, emphasizing the "defense of the homeland" and the role of culture as a tool to sustain the system. This political stance, coupled with the opportunities his band receives on official stages both domestically and internationally, fuels perceptions of privilege linked to his surname amidst growing social unrest and economic crisis in Cuba.