Last Thursday, Instagram conducted an extensive purge of bots, fake accounts, and inactive profiles, significantly impacting follower counts for influencers and celebrities worldwide—Cuban influencers were no exception.
This event, dubbed the "Great Purge of 2026" by users, resulted in noticeable drops across profiles of all sizes. A Meta spokesperson explained that this was "part of our routine process to eliminate inactive accounts," assuring that "active followers remain unaffected." Globally, Kylie Jenner's follower count dropped by over 14 million, while Cristiano Ronaldo lost 6,622,220 followers. Even Instagram's official account saw a decrease of nearly nine million followers.
Impact on Cuban Influencers
So, how did Cuban influencers fare on Instagram? According to SocialBlade data, the results were diverse. Here is the complete ranking:
Most Affected (Follower Losses):
- Sandra Cires: -55,278 ← the most significant drop in the group
- Lisandra Silva: -21,844
- Imaray Ulloa: -21,093
- Pollito Tropical: -19,875
- La Mariposa: -13,055
- Amanda Díaz: -12,586
- Samantha Espineira: -10,799
- Daniela Reyes: -9,112
- Camila Guiribitey: -5,945
- Aly Sánchez: -3,530
- Rachel Vallori: -3,206
- Lianet Martí (La Mija): -1,811
- Kuki Delgado: -785 ← the least affected among those who lost followers
Resilient (or Gained Followers):
- Amanda Camaraza: +6,496 ← the biggest gainer
- Claudia Artiles: +3,749
- Rachel Arderi: +3,680
- La Dura: +3,442
- Samantha Hernández: +2,919
Sandra Cires, a well-known Cuban content creator based in Miami, topped the list with a loss of 55,278 followers, more than double that of the second most affected influencer. Close behind were Lisandra Silva and Imaray Ulloa, each losing over 21,000 followers.
The most striking contrast came from Amanda Camaraza, who not only didn't lose followers but gained 6,496 during the purge. She was followed by Claudia Artiles with an increase of 3,749. These positive numbers amid a global cleanup suggest an active and genuine audience base.
Understanding the Purge
It's crucial to clarify that these losses don't necessarily imply fraud or the purchase of followers. Meta estimates that between 10% and 15% of its active accounts are fake or spam, and by 2025, they had already removed over 500 million fake accounts, according to their Transparency Report. Any profile with a long history of follower accumulation could be affected, regardless of user behavior on the platform.
This purge is part of a global trend where major platforms are cleaning up inflated metrics under pressure from advertisers and regulators demanding more transparent audience data. X (formerly Twitter) conducted its own cleanup just a month before, suspending 208 bot accounts per minute.
What these numbers reveal is that, beyond the visible totals, real engagement from content creators is far more valuable than any inflated figure. The purge tells the truth: what's left is the genuine audience.
Key Insights into Instagram's 2026 Purge
Why did Instagram conduct a massive account cleanup?
Instagram's cleanup aimed to remove bots, fake, and inactive accounts to ensure more accurate follower metrics and improve overall platform integrity.
How did the purge affect Cuban influencers?
Cuban influencers experienced varied impacts, with some losing a significant number of followers, while others, like Amanda Camaraza, actually gained followers.
What does the follower loss indicate about influencer accounts?
Follower loss doesn't necessarily indicate fraudulent activity. It may result from the removal of inactive or spam accounts, reflecting a more genuine audience.