Alexander Otaola has once again found himself at the center of controversy after publicly criticizing the food donations sent to Cuba from Florida to help the victims of hurricane Melissa.
His words, delivered with a mocking and disdainful tone, sparked a wave of outrage among social media users and members of the Cuban community both on and off the island.
During one of his broadcasts, Otaola sarcastically referred to the community effort being organized in Miami to collect humanitarian aid.
“You tell me, damn, you are distributing clothes to people who have nothing, who lost everything, they are going to need it... but a little bottle of oil... it's a stomach issue, it's all a 'tambucherismo'.”
The influencer went further by labeling the situation as a "farm fair," downplaying the value of the efforts of emigrants to assist those living on the island.
“It’s not anything organized or on a large scale, just three fools, four little things, two trucks, and that’s it. It’s not that they mobilized anyone, just among themselves,” he remarked.
The statement that provoked the most outrage was one filled with disdain:
"Oh, what a great thing, what a town, what a town so hungry for your mother! Oh, everything, everything, everything has to do with the damn... stomach, everything, everything, everything, everything!"
Otaola insisted that sending food is not a dignified solution.
“Misery does not erase misery. Charity is not help”, he later wrote in response to the avalanche of criticism he received.
Outrage and rejection on social media: “And what have you done?”
The segment of his program was shared on Instagram by the influencer “Un Martí To Durako”, who confronted the host:
"Madam, they have not only been given clothing, but also shoes and food because they need to eat, and since they have lost everything, even though it may not be much, it’s something... Meanwhile, what have you done aside from asking for donations for your organization and tickets for your Halloween party... Oh, right, you are going to take the island dressed as a poppy."
That message was just the first of hundreds of comments in which Cubans from all over fiercely criticized the influencer's stance.
Most reactions focused on his lack of empathy, his arrogant attitude, and the contempt with which he spoke about a people enduring one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent years.
A user wrote:
“There is something very sad about seeing people like Otaola, who claim to defend the Cuban people, speak with such disdain about the very Cubans who are suffering. One cannot claim to love Cuba while at the same time mocking those who have lost everything after a hurricane.”
Others accused the influencer of profiting from others' pain: "You only help yourself, you’re a freeloader… you keep talking about Cuba and you haven't donated even the slightest bit."
"There's nothing the Cuban community does that he sees positively or supports. My God..." lamented another internet user.
The criticism was repeated with multiple variations, but the central idea remained the same:
What has Otaola done for the victims?
Why does he attack those who are doing something, even if it's little?
The line that separates criticism from contempt
The most controversial point in his statements was the disdainful tone and the way he mocked the food urgency faced by the Cuban people.
In a society where basic products are scarce, where bread, oil, or a piece of chicken can make the difference between eating or not, the comment "everything has to do with the stomach" was interpreted not as a critical observation, but as a mockery of pain and need.
"In Cuba, what is most needed is food, which is why everything revolves around that. But there are people who lack empathy." "And what are they going to eat, clothes?" "But if they don't eat, what are they going to do with the clothes? People don't want clothes right now; they want food and the replacement of their belongings lost due to the natural disaster," pointed out other critical comments.
“Behind every request for help is a homeless mother, a hungry elderly person, a fearful child... And those who truly care for their land do not humiliate them, but embrace them.”
Legitimate criticism or unwarranted insensitivity?
While Otaola has gained notoriety for his activism against the Cuban regime, an increasing number of people believe that his discourse often distances itself from the very people he claims to defend.
This is not the first time that their words hurt more than empower, but this time the target of their attacks was the common Cubans: the most vulnerable.
There were those who demanded coherence and responsibility from him: “What house have you gifted to any affected person? What money have you sent for them to buy materials and build?”
From accusations of hypocrisy and calls to report his accounts to comparisons with figures from the Cuban regime, social media was filled with messages that undermine the leadership of the former Miami-Dade mayoral candidate and question his role as a voice for the exile community.
The controversy surrounding Alexander Otaola reflects a deeper division within the Cuban exile community: How far can criticism go? Is it acceptable to mock the hunger of a people in the name of a political stance?
Donations to those affected by Hurricane Melissa are not just packages of food: they are gestures of humanity, solidarity, and hope. Dismissing or ridiculing them hurts both those who give and those who are in need.
"Being Cuban means having a big soul, not a sharp tongue," stated an internet user.
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