The Cuban influencer Alexander Otaola harshly criticized the U.S. government's sanctions policy towards the Cuban regime, stating that they have not been effective in preventing government supporters from entering the country freely.
In his program Hola! Otaola, the host delivered a direct message to the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and other Cuban-American legislators following the recent arrival in Miami of actor Alejandro Cuervo.
Another proof that the sanctions do not work, said Otaola, while showing images of the actor in South Florida. He explained that Cuervo must have arrived from Spain after having lived there briefly with his family. “All the rats are coming to hide in Miami, the same Miami they have criticized,” he added.
Otaola, known for his critical stance towards artists who collaborate with official institutions in Cuba, criticized the process that allows figures like Cuervo to enter the U.S. with a visa, while making it more difficult for many Cubans trying to emigrate legally.
"What sense does it make to keep families apart who are going through legal processes, while visas are granted to these brazen individuals?" he questioned, visibly indignant.
The presenter also urged attention to the activities of the United States embassy in Madrid, hinting that visas might be issued to individuals connected to the cultural apparatus of the Cuban regime. "It's important to monitor who is receiving visas from Spain," he warned.
Alejandro Cuervo has been at the center of controversy since news of his departure from Cuba emerged.
In April, his wife opened a business in Havana, and weeks later the family left the island for Europe. In June, it was reported that Cuervo had arrived in Miami, which sparked a wave of criticism from the exile community and Otaola's followers, who questioned the consistency of the U.S. immigration system.
The case of Cuervo brings the debate on visa policies and sanctions back to the forefront. For Otaola, allowing the entry of individuals who have supported the regime is a betrayal of Cubans fighting for democratic change.
"That's not what needs to be done. Sanctions do not stop two-faced individuals or their accomplices," he stated.
A systematic stance against the Cuban regime and its supporters
Otaola's statements are not isolated. The influencer has maintained a sustained campaign against what he sees as a weakness in the enforcement of sanctions on those who aid the Cuban regime.
In January of this year, he urged President Donald Trump to promote direct sanctions against travel agencies that, in his opinion, facilitate the entry of government officials into the United States.
In February, he went further by demanding that the Communist Party of Cuba be declared a terrorist organization by U.S. authorities, citing its responsibility for the repression, persecution, and the misery affecting the Cuban people.
And in April, in another statement from his program, he called for “everything” to be closed to Cuba, including remittances, flights, and trade, until a real change takes place in the country.
These radical stances have garnered Otaola a loyal following among the exile community, but they have also attracted numerous criticisms, even from more moderate sectors advocating for a more gradual approach. However, for the host, allowing the entry of figures associated with the regime is a betrayal to the Cubans fighting for a free country.
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