Sandro Castro, the grandson of the late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, publicly apologized to all Cubans following the controversy stirred by a video in which he was seen driving a Mercedes-Benz on a Cuban highway.
"The aim of my words is to offer a sincere apology to the Cubans who are inside Cuba, those outside of Cuba, my close friends, my family, and anyone who may have felt offended by the video that has been circulating on social media in recent days," said the young Castro in a video shared this Thursday on his Instagram account.
"I did not publish that video; I just shared it in my WhatsApp status for my close, trusted contacts. However, against my will, that video ended up spreading to other platforms," the young man stated.
"The car in which I'm recording the video belongs to a friend of mine who lent it to me because I like cars and wanted to test it out," he added.
According to the grandson of the Cuban dictator, when he referred to the "toys" he had at home, he was joking, "because the car is definitely not mine," he insisted.
"I sincerely apologize to anyone who misunderstood that or may have been offended. I apologize to everyone," he said.
The release of the video sparked a wave of criticism on social media and independent outlets, especially given its timing during a period of shortages in supplies and transportation in the country, compounded by the coronavirus crisis.
The scandal even provoked an unusual reaction from a family member, his uncle Alex Castro Soto del Valle, who, without mentioning the video, referred to the incident by stating that "one rotten potato does not mean that all the potatoes in the sack are bad; to carefully examine is the wisdom of the wise."
Sandro also clarified that a fake account in his name is circulating on the social media platform Twitter.
"I don’t have Twitter or Facebook, only Instagram, and I’m not interested in social media or popularity. I’m a simple person, and that’s how I see myself. Those close to me know that what I'm saying is true," he stated.
In the controversial video, Sandro is seen driving a car on a road in the Island: “Daddy, look at what daddy is playing, because you know we are simple, but every once in a while, you have to take out these little toys we have at home,” he can be heard saying.
"This is serious business, my people, so don't get it wrong," he says.
The images of the most prominent grandson of the Castros have sparked outrage among many Cubans, who are victims of the severe shortages that the country has endured for decades.
Regarding this fact, independent journalist Mónica Baró stated, "Undoubtedly, the Cuban Revolution is made only with and for the humble. For the members of the Castro family, the Cuban Revolution does not exist. While Raúl and Fidel spent decades asking the Cuban people for efforts and sacrifices, they prohibited them from doing anything that came to mind, from communicating with relatives abroad to entering a hotel or having a cellphone plan, their family lived amidst privileges."
For his part, the Cuban singer Israel Rojas stated that the video of the young man is simply “the stupidity of an immature person,” although he admits that it is a “rude, irresponsible, and disrespectful” video.
In recent hours, other luxuries, benefits, and even excesses enjoyed by the young Castro have also sparked debate, such as owning the Efe and Fantaxy bars in Havana, or sponsoring an underground beauty pageant "with the sole purpose of recruiting young Cuban women to participate in his private parties and orgies," according to reports shared on social media.
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