Castro’s Digital Grandson Ignites Controversy in Cuba

Cuban Social‑Media Star, grandson of Fidel, sparks parting controversy

Sandro Castro, the 33‑year‑old social media influencer who calls himself the “grandson of Fidel,” has turned his historic name into a platform for online fame, occasionally poking fun at Cuba’s chronic shortages of food, medicine, power and fuel.

Followers bask in his high‑flying lifestyle

• Parties and plain‑clothes store‑keepers – On Instagram, Sandro shows his 127,000 followers footage of parties, scantily‑clad women and a beer in hand.
• Thematic costumes and spam – He sometimes dresses as a monk or a vampire, sporting cat whiskers or the jersey of Barcelona football club.
• Mockery of the crisis – “I woke up today with my favorite recipe – chicken with beer … but there is no chicken,” he says in a post while holding a bottle of the national lager, Cristal.
• Power‑outage jokes – He jokes about the island’s outages, suggestively addressing a woman with words: “If I caught you like the UNE (electric company), I’d get you every four hours, Monday to Monday.”

Opposition from loyalist voices

Some still find Sandro’s escapades entertaining, while others see his high‑flying lifestyle as offensive.

• “Next president” jokes – His followers jokingly refer to him as the “next president.”
• Press from the government – Voices aligned with the communist government have demanded he be silenced.
• Critique from historian & author Ernesto Limia – Limia complained on Facebook that Castro “does not respect the memory” of his famous grandfather, leading to the chant “El Necio.”
• Online influencer “El Tomu” – The influencer said Sandro Castro “goes against the security of this country” and “against the ideals” of the revolution.

Risk of sharing anti‑government views

Activists and critics in Cuba are often rounded up for anti‑government views, and several are serving sentences for crimes such as “contempt” or disseminating “enemy propaganda.”

“Little toys” deemed distance from revolutionary project

• Manuel Cuesta Morua, dissident historian – He said the Sandro phenomenon embodied “the distance of the grandchildren’s generation from the original revolutionary project.”
• Contrast with the family – He said Castro in stark contrast to the rest of his family, who like him enjoy their privileged status “discreetly.”

Background on the family

While Fidel Castro was alive, Cubans knew very little about his second wife Dalia Soto del Valle and their five sons – one of whom is Sandro’s father, Alexis Castro Soto del Valle, 63. The family lived out of the public eye in Punto Cero, an extensive wooded area west of Havana with access controlled by the military.

Incidents that drew public outrage

• Leaked video, 2021 – Sandro came into the spotlight in a leaked video that showed him driving a luxurious Mercedes‑Benz during the Covid‑19 pandemic.
• “Little toys” statement – “We are simple people, but every now and then we have to take out these little toys we have at home,” he said in the clip that went viral and sparked public outrage, forcing him to apologize.
• Birthday celebration, 2024 – Three years later, he caused another stir by celebrating his birthday at a bar he owns in the capital, burning massive neon lights and dancing on tables as the country reeled from the after‑effects of a massive blackout.