Sandro Castro, grandson of the dictator Fidel Castro, once again sparked outrage among Cubans on social media by posting an image in his Instagram stories where he was flanked by two men who appeared to be private security.
“With the Power Rangers,” wrote the “young revolutionary” in a mocking tone, accompanied by emojis of a ninja and a Cuban flag. Dressed in black, with tactical backpacks and a defiant attitude, the two characters appearing with Sandrito seem to be sending a warning to those who dare to confront the erratic member of the Castro family.
The photograph, taken at night in front of what appears to be an institutional building, showed the "king of the Havana night" posing with crossed arms, while his two companions took rigid stances, characteristic of paramilitary forces or trained escorts.
Although Sandrito tends to make provocations and tasteless jokes, it seems that his companions belong at least to a private security firm, or perhaps to special forces of the repressive machinery established by his grandfather's dictatorship.
Hounded by state violence, without legal guarantees, and surviving in helplessness, millions of Cubans view this latest folly by Sandrito as a reaffirmation of his intent to continue insulting and mocking them.
This new display of arrogance is not an isolated case. Sandro Castro has become one of the most despised figures in the Cuban digital ecosystem.
His background is extensive: from boasting about driving sports cars at high speeds while the country sinks rapidly into economic crisis, to filming himself drinking exclusive liquors and smoking luxury cigars, mocking the hardships of the Cuban people. Each of his public appearances reinforces his image as the spoiled child of the "royal family" of Castroism.
In a country where citizens cannot protest freely or demand their rights without fear of repression, it is shocking and painful to see the dictator's grandson surrounded by bodyguards as if he were an international celebrity, protected by the same privileges that oppress the majority.
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