Alexander Otaola expressed skepticism regarding the alleged secret meetings between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as “El Cangrejo” and grandson of Raúl Castro. Otaola dismissed the leak as a potential political maneuver.
“I have my doubts,” Otaola stated on his show, El Mañanero.
“Folks, anyone who knows El Cangrejo even a little can see that he is completely incompetent,” he asserted bluntly.
Otaola repeatedly emphasized that it is "impossible" for the Department of State to be engaging in serious discussions with "someone of this caliber."
The presenter and former Miami-Dade mayoral candidate insisted that if any contacts were happening, they should be directed at the true power holders in Cuba.
“If you tell me the sources say the State Department is communicating with Raúl Castro through El Cangrejo, I’d be quiet because they’d be talking to the actual decision-maker,” he pointed out.
Otaola claimed years of scrutinizing and analyzing the figure of Raúl Castro's grandson have convinced him that El Cangrejo is unfit for such a mission.
“I've been accusing El Cangrejo for years, studying his personality, which is deranged,” he stated, describing him as “obsessed with parties, women, and fun.”
An Axios report asserts that Raúl Guillermo holds a reputation within GAESA, the military conglomerate controlling key sectors of the Cuban economy, a claim Otaola categorically rejected.
"El Cangrejo isn't respected in GAESA. He’s just the son of the guy who ran everything and died suddenly… Suggesting El Cangrejo would decide if the communists stay in power is absurd,” he reiterated.
The influencer went further, describing the narrative as part of a political plot against Marco Rubio.
“This news is being leaked to undermine Marco Rubio, to turn the community against him… It’s entirely false,” he declared, emphasizing it is “a strategy by these people to sway the community against Marco Rubio.”
Otaola concluded that it seems “impossible for the fate of all those military officers, for an entire country, to be in the hands of a complete fool.”
The Axios Revelation
The controversy follows an Axios report claiming Marco Rubio is in secret talks with 41-year-old Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, a close associate of Raúl Castro and linked to GAESA.
A senior U.S. official cited by the media outlet downplayed the interactions: “I wouldn’t call it negotiations, rather conversations about the future.”
The aim would be to explore potential political transition scenarios on the island.
The report indicates Washington's strategy would bypass official Communist Party and Miguel Díaz-Canel government channels, opting instead to engage directly with perceived real decision-makers.
The revelations emerge amid heightened pressure on Havana. Following Nicolás Maduro's arrest on January 3 and the breakdown of the Caracas-Havana axis, the U.S. has intensified energy sanctions against Cuba.
President Donald Trump publicly stated that his administration is “talking with people at the highest levels in Cuba” and suggested that the island “should make a deal.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío recently told EFE that there is “no high-level dialogue” with Washington and that there have only been “message exchanges.”
He also ruled out intermediaries such as Mexico or the Vatican and clarified that Cuba is not open to discussing constitutional reforms, changes in the socialist system, or the release of political prisoners.
Key Questions about U.S.-Cuba Relations and the Alleged Talks
Who is Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro?
Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," is the grandson of Raúl Castro and has been associated with GAESA, a military conglomerate controlling key sectors of the Cuban economy.
What is the nature of the alleged talks between Marco Rubio and El Cangrejo?
The alleged talks are reportedly about exploring possible political transitions in Cuba, although U.S. officials have described them as mere conversations, not formal negotiations.
How has Otaola reacted to these allegations?
Alexander Otaola has expressed skepticism and dismissed the allegations as a political maneuver, questioning El Cangrejo's capability to be involved in such discussions.