Amid the worsening energy crisis in Cuba, which has plunged the island into darkness, the host of the official program Con Filo, Gabriela Fernández, was spotted on vacation with her mother at an all-inclusive hotel.
The video, shared on social media by Cuban activist and former dissident Eliécer Ávila, showed the young woman in buffet restaurants and pool areas, while most Cubans are struggling with long power outages, food shortages, and a social climate characterized by discontent.
"A follower sent me these videos of Gabriela enjoying life with her mother, apparently in one of the dictatorship's hotels," Ávila wrote while sharing the images. In them, the host can be seen serving herself at the buffet and relaxing in the recreation area, surrounded by foreign tourists.
Fernández's stay at a resort coincides with one of the most critical moments for the national electric system in recent years, as generation failures and fuel shortages have systematically impacted the population, and there have been five total collapses of the national electro-energy system (SEN) in less than a year.
Meanwhile, Con Filo has maintained its stance of justifying the government’s actions, discrediting the opposition, and blaming external factors for the crisis.
The independent journalist Ernesto Morales also reacted on social media: “Gabriela Fernández goes to an all-inclusive hotel to tear the seams of the media garment (...) and to endure the blackouts with a better appearance,” he remarked ironically.
The controversy surrounding these images reflects a recurring contradiction among figures associated with official propaganda: defending a discourse of resistance and sacrifice while enjoying privileges inaccessible to the majority of Cubans.
The presenter has not publicly commented on the recordings or on the source of the funds used to finance her vacation, which has further fueled criticism and questions on social media: who pays for the luxury?
“Lack of resources” for Con Filo and vacations at luxury hotels: The contradiction
In several broadcasts, the hosts of Con Filo have stated that the program is being produced “with increasingly fewer resources” and that the lack of budget constraints limits production.
The complaint contrasts sharply with recent images of Fernández vacationing with his mother at an all-inclusive hotel, just as the country is experiencing one of its most critical moments of power outages and economic crisis.
The question is unavoidable: how can a university professor, journalist, and host of a state television show afford to stay in a hotel of this caliber, with a salary in Cuban pesos?
The official prices published by Havanatur show that staying at a hotel in the Iberostar chain can cost up to 33,300 Cuban pesos per night, while the "cheapest" option — the Iberostar Daiquirí — has a price of 14,000 pesos per night, with a mandatory minimum stay of three nights, raising the total expense to 42,000 CUP.
Another more recent reference in Varadero indicates that the rate for a three-star hotel, considered the most economical, is 16,500 CUP per night. There are also extreme examples, such as the Hotel Presidente in Havana, where a simple room reached 43,600 CUP per night at the end of November 2022.
These figures are unattainable for most Cubans, considering that the average monthly salary on the island is barely 6,500 CUP, and a journalist can earn even less. The gap between income and prices is so significant that it is evident that access to these hotels is barred for the average citizen.
While independent journalists have reported being expelled from hotels despite having confirmed reservations —as happened at the Starfish Guardalavaca— and other Cubans face discrimination in restaurants and tourist centers, figures like Fernández enjoy privileges that can only be explained as benefits associated with their role within the official propaganda apparatus.
The contradiction is evident: on one hand, a discourse of scarcity and sacrifice; on the other, vacations in facilities inaccessible to the people they claim to represent. Is it about the salary paid by Cubadebate, or a privilege reserved for those who faithfully serve the power?
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