In the midst of a Cuba plunged into the worst economic crisis in recent years, with daily blackouts, inflation, shortages, and an unprecedented wave of migration, Sandro Castro, the grandson of the late dictator Fidel Castro, decided to break the silence in an exclusive interview with the Argentine channel TN.
From his bar in Vedado, Havana, and via video call, the 33-year-old says he doesn't get involved in politics. "What I do is make people laugh," he said.
With 126 thousand followers on Instagram and a public image that elicits as much sympathy as criticism, Sandro, born on December 5, 1991, has become an uncomfortable media figure.
For many Cuban emigrants, especially in Miami, it represents the most frivolous and disconnected face of an elite that, unlike the people, can afford to enjoy the Havana nightlife, surrounded by friends, Cristal beer, and electronic music.
“I have no privileges”, he insists. “I suffer blackouts like everyone else. I live off my business, I am humble, and I move freely”.
Castro owns the bar EFE, located on the bustling corner of 23 and F. There, he manages his life as a blend of entrepreneurship and showmanship, in addition to excesses that are not forgiven by most Cubans. He has also been seen using his workers as part of his videos.
On social media, he takes on the character of “Vampirash”, a lover of the night and parties, who is depicted surrounded by young people, lights, and bottles. “I don’t offend anyone. I like art and humor. I don’t talk about politics because it’s not my thing,” he states.
He says he does not receive financial support from his family and that his businesses were made possible thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit. "I've been working since I was 14. I opened my first bar with a loan from an Italian friend," he explains. "I have saved and built each project by myself."
Criticism, luxury, and a viral apology
His name became a trend on social media in 2021, when a video surfaced of him driving a Mercedes Benz on a Cuban highway, while the population was facing a severe fuel shortage.
Later, he claimed the car was borrowed, that the video was private and that he never intended to show off. “I apologized at the time. It was never my intention to present something that I am not”.
Even so, many Cubans criticize him for living in a bubble. “I try not to respond to those people. I respect opinions, but I remain focused on my content,” he says.
Sandro Castro avoids commenting on the blackouts, the migration crisis, or the repression of July 11th. “I don’t like to talk about that. We are fighting, we want improvement. I have faith that everything will get better”.
Although he defines himself as a revolutionary, he asserts that his field is culture, not politics. “I love art and sports. My grandfather was a great idol, he always supported artists. I believe he would be proud of me.”
Their growing presence on social media has captured the attention of European media such as Corriere della Sera, El País, and Deutsche Welle, which describe him as the symbol of the decline of the Cuban Revolution.
“His mere existence is a living critique of Castroism,” asserted the writer Amir Valle. “Sandro does not need to speak: his life says it all.”
Even the newspaper Corriere della Sera did not mince words. “The revolution based on socialism and guerrilla warfare gives way to cat filters, red underwear around the neck for International Women’s Day, fake blood in the mouth, and late-night parties. Sandro embodies the end of an era.”
A surname that carries weight
Despite his efforts to present himself as an ordinary Cuban, Sandro acknowledges the weight of the surname he carries. “I take pride in being a Castro, but I have no privileges. I am a young person of this era.”
He is the son of Alexis Castro Soto del Valle, one of Fidel's sons with Dalia Soto del Valle, and Rebeca Arteaga; and his childhood took place in the vicinity of Punto Cero, the Castro family complex in Havana.
According to testimonies from people close to the family, such as Idalmis Menéndez, ex-partner of Álex Castro, the young man grew up surrounded by luxury, unaware of the hardships faced by millions of Cubans.
In the interview with TN, he also revealed that he has never visited Argentina, although he admires DJs like Hernán Cattáneo and players like Messi, although he admits to being a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo.
To conclude, he was emphatic: "I dismiss politics. It's not my thing. I prefer people to laugh with me."
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