Leo Maraca Shares Airport Scare Over Raúl Castro Impersonation: "I Do It with Respect"

Cuban comedian Leonardo Santiesteban, better known as Leo Maraca, recounted an intriguing experience at Cuba's customs where he feared trouble for his portrayal of former President Raúl Castro. What initially seemed like a tense situation ended with an unexpected twist when an airport worker approached him, not with a reprimand, but with a request for a photo and a compliment on his portrayal. "He told me he actually enjoyed my Raúl character. I'm not afraid because I do it with respect. Whether a dictator or not, it's just another character I perform," Maraca shared in an interview with YouTuber Robert Santiago el Cubano on the program Gracias Porvenir, broadcast by Latinísima.

During the discussion, the comedian revisited several instances of censorship that have marked his career on the island. One notable event was when a sketch he performed involving a robot from the year 3000 announcing the end of hunger was banned, interpreted as a critique of Fidel Castro. Additionally, Maraca admitted to enduring months of surveillance after sharing a photo of the deceased at Mazorra. “I spent three months with a motorcycle parked outside my house, and they even attempted to extract information from me using a girl at a nightclub,” he recounted, referring to the pressure from State Security.

Despite dedicating his life to comedy, Leo Maraca also reflected on some of the most challenging moments in his life. He recalled that just three months after immigrating to the United States, he lost his mother. "That very day, I had to go on stage to perform. Comedy heals, even though one might break down in the dressing room afterward," he confessed.

With over three decades of experience in Cuba, including as part of the comedy duo "Los Dracos," Maraca emphasizes that humor has been his refuge and way of enduring. "We comedians always tell the truth. Maybe it's dressed up, but it's the truth," he asserted.

Since arriving in the United States in November 2022, Santiesteban has been involved in shows such as Los hijos de Putin, where he performs his Raúl Castro skit, La Habana en Hialeah, and Pateando La Lata Miami, while also creating his own content on social media.

In a previous interview with CiberCuba, he recalled leaving the island when it became impossible to make a living from comedy, resorting to selling ground meat to survive. However, his departure allowed him to reunite with his daughter in Miami and gave his career a fresh start. Now, at 54, Leo Maraca is determined to leave behind a legacy of characters and videos that preserve Cuban laughter and memory. "Comedy is my way of turning tears into jokes. It's the only thing that has always saved me," he concluded.