Sandro Castro, the grandson of Fidel Castro, has publicly apologized after a video went viral showing him speculating while driving a Mercedes Benz on the streets of Havana. His statements have reached major international media outlets.
The official Cuban press refuses to address the issue, but the name of Sandro Castro is making headlines in newspapers around the world. Most international media have published a report from the EFE agency, though they emphasize different aspects to suit their audience.
One of the major communication giants that reported on the case was CNN en Español. They state that Fidel's grandson told them he did not want to make any further comments at this time, as he wishes to remain out of social media. They have noted that they cannot independently confirm whether the car belongs to Castro or not.
The Spanish newspaper ABC also published an article about the controversial videos. It states that "Fidel Castro's grandson has stirred things up in Cuba again" and highlights that he is "the first member of the dictator's lineage" to publicly apologize following the backlash received online.
Marca, a publication specializing in sports news, dedicated a segment to Sandro Castro, highlighting the speed at which the young Cuban driver was traveling. "He appeared to show off while driving a Mercedes, and he did so at high speed," states the article.
The Spanish newspaper 20 Minutos, in its report on the case, claims that Sandro's videos generate "controversy in a time of severe economic crisis and food shortages" in Cuba. In its final paragraph, it reminds readers that Fidel Castro maintained a strong privacy regarding his personal and family life almost until his retirement due to health reasons.
El Comercio highlighted Sandro Castro's fondness for social media, technology, expensive clothing, and other luxuries that are denied to the Cuban people. It also questioned the source of the money used to maintain this lifestyle at a time when the Cuban government enforces strict austerity on its citizens.
Highlighting this contradiction, El Tiempo begins its text by noting that while the Cuban government, led by Miguel Díaz-Canel, "is trying to implement a new economic reform to improve the financial and social situation of millions of Cubans," Fidel's grandson is seen driving a luxury car. Sandro Castro's apologies make headlines across all continents, yet they have not reached Cuban television. To this day, the island’s news program has not included a report on the controversial videos in any of its broadcasts. Neither has the newspaper Granma addressed the issue.
The only outlet that reported on the incident, without mentioning the name of the person involved, was Alma Mater. It used an ambiguous headline: "Words of Israel Rojas on viral video," which was not written by a journalist but rather replicated the words of musician Israel Rojas from his Facebook profile.
The leader of Buena Fe also does not mention Sandro Castro in his analysis of the issue, but instead recalls decisions he deemed wrong made by the son of José Martí - Francisco José Martí y Zayas Bazán - ultimately emphasizing that "greatness is not hereditary."
The prolonged silence of the official media regarding the videos of Sandro Castro serves as yet another example of their attempts to silence the issues in Cuba, preventing Cubans from exercising their critical judgment about the comfortable lifestyle of Fidel's grandson and many other children and grandchildren of the country's ruling elite.
Filed under: