Recently, Aleida Guevara March, daughter of the revolutionary figure Ernesto Che Guevara (1928-1967), was caught shopping at a dollar market in Havana. This is striking given her admission a year ago that her state salary was insufficient to survive in Cuba, a nation where millions lack access to foreign currency.
Back in July 2024, Guevara March, who is also a pediatrician, acknowledged that the cost of living on the island has soared beyond what a state salary can cover. She revealed her salary was just over four thousand pesos, while citing staggering prices such as 7,000 pesos for cheese and over 3,000 for a carton of eggs, highlighting the severe economic crisis.
“I have to choose between eggs or something else, but I can't afford everything,” she stated, pointing out that the subsidized basic food basket “does not last until the end of the month.” She made these comments during an interview with the leftist Latin American project "Voces en la Lucha."
Despite her public declarations, recent images show Guevara March, a staunch supporter of the Havana regime, shopping in a dollar-only market, exposing the double standards of the elite connected to power. They often preach sacrifice while engaging in consumer practices inaccessible to the general populace.
The irony is compounded by the fact that the Guevara family manages an international business empire from Havana under the “Che Guevara” brand. This includes ventures in clothing, beverages, cafes, franchises, and lucrative publishing deals with foreign groups, as revealed by the independent media outlet Cubanet.
The report emphasized that the “Che Guevara” franchise includes the Che Guevara Editorial Project, promoted by Ocean Sur and Ocean Press, but directly managed by Aleida Guevara March. She currently acts as a substitute for her nearly nonagenarian mother, Aleida March, in directing the Che Guevara Studies Center in Havana. All these activities contribute to a flow of income that starkly contrasts with the austerity they preach publicly.
The family's network of businesses and properties extends to luxury apartment rentals and registered companies in Europe and the United States under the names of their descendants, further highlighting the disparity with the everyday lives of ordinary Cubans, who endure blackouts, shortages, and meager wages.
Social media users have pointed out that the Guevara Foundation, which she leads, generates millions by exploiting her father's image, funding a lifestyle disconnected from the poverty affecting most Cubans.
Interestingly, Guevara March has criticized that micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are not fulfilling their intended role of production, instead underscoring social inequalities. In May 2024, she called for increased monitoring by the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) of these private Cuban enterprises, viewing them as a potential national security threat.
She recently remarked that the Mexican people are “privileged” because her father and dictator Fidel Castro (1926-2016) met in their country, amidst the controversy over the removal of statues of both figures from a public square in Mexico City.
Shortly after the historic July 11, 2021 (11J) protests, she described the protestors as “unscrupulous people,” “fools,” and “low-lives.” She referred to them as “types without morals and ethics. The lowest of society; the dirtiest people. The most adverse people… You can tell it's completely marginal,” she opined.
Furthermore, she expressed support for the Lebanese people and her desire to join the resistance against Israel during an interview with Al Mayadeen in Spanish in Caracas, Venezuela. Her stance is not new; in 2023, she also offered herself as a soldier for the Palestinian cause, claiming she shoots “quite well.”
Key Aspects of Aleida Guevara's Actions and Statements
Why was Aleida Guevara's shopping trip in Havana controversial?
Her shopping in a dollar market was seen as contradictory because it contrasts with her previous admissions of financial struggles and highlights the privileges enjoyed by the elite connected to Cuba's regime.
What businesses are associated with the Guevara family?
The family oversees an international business empire under the “Che Guevara” brand, including clothing, beverages, cafes, franchises, and publishing deals.
How has Aleida Guevara criticized Cuban private enterprises?
She has criticized MSMEs for not fulfilling their production role and called for greater surveillance, viewing them as a potential threat to national security.
What were Aleida Guevara's comments on the 11J protests?
She disparaged the protestors, labeling them as “unscrupulous,” “fools,” and “low-lives,” reflecting a strong disapproval of the demonstrations.