The Cuban broadcaster Rolando Zaldívar, remembered for his presence on Cuban radio and television, was recently arrested in Miami for petty theft and possession of cocaine.
The news was announced this week by influencer Alexander Otaola on his show Hola! Ota-Ola, broadcast by Cubanos por el Mundo.
According to the police report, Zaldívar was granted a bail of 150 dollars.
Zaldívar's face, deteriorated and almost unrecognizable, immediately stirred shock on social media, where dozens of Cubans shared memories, laments, and criticisms upon seeing the once charismatic host in a visibly neglected state.
"The last time we heard from Zaldívar, he was entering a tent under a bridge downtown, and when he came out of the tent, well, he looked like this... The major transformations in the world of addiction are truly regrettable," said Otaola while showing the photo of the police record.
The Cuban journalist from Univision, Javier Díaz, expressed his personal sorrow:
"How sad that this wordsmith is in such conditions! I remember that when I started my career as a broadcaster, he was one of the figures in Cuba that I always admired, and later I worked at the same station where he trained," he wrote on Facebook.
This is not the first time that Zaldívar has been to jail in the U.S.
This is not the first time Zaldívar has faced issues with the law.
In February 2019 he was arrested for domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon. On that occasion, he turned to the GoFundMe platform to seek help with attorney fees, claiming he had been a victim of false accusations:
"A routine discussion ended with a low act. When I asked the person bothering me to leave me alone, because I don't want and can't afford to have problems in this country that provides us shelter, the other person, driven by their anger, experience, and their perfect native English, called the police to accuse me of an assault I did not commit."
The voice of Disco Fiesta 98
Zaldívar was widely known as one of the hosts of "Disco Fiesta 98," on Radio Ciudad de La Habana, an iconic program from the 1990s.
Many remember him on the stages of the capital, always elegant, "in his suit and tie." Others mention that his career grew by imitating the style of a predecessor, which did not detract from his merits as a professional.
After leaving Cuba, he lived for a time in Mexico and then in Houston, Texas, until settling in Miami in 2014.
A community between nostalgia and reproach
The current image of Zaldívar has generated an avalanche of reactions on social media. Some remember him fondly and with concern—“a unique voice and a mastery of communication”—while others describe him as “unrecognizable” and “consumed by vices.”
Some messages convey moral frustration: “Another victim of the artists' graveyard. They come believing they will continue to be famous like in Cuba, and when they arrive in Miami, they are nobody, and depression leads them to addiction.”
Others blame him directly: “It’s sad, but no one forced him down that path. Poor decisions have consequences.”
There are no shortage of accusations of family neglect. Several voices claim that his mother, elderly and ill, lives in San José de las Lajas, in a wheelchair and under the care of neighbors.
"A very good speaker, but as a son, he is not good," stated a comment that was confirmed by more than one internet user.
Despite everything, there are also calls for compassion and requests for help. Rehabilitation programs have even been proposed, along with contacts with projects like Conducta, which has brought attention to cases of other well-known figures, such as
Filed under: