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Tamara Marrero Cruz, sister of Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, lives a life of privilege in a parallel Cuba that has nothing to do with that of the average citizen.
While millions of Cubans struggle to survive amid blackouts, long lines, and widespread shortages, she celebrates lavish birthdays, promotes her private spa, and is often seen at pools, restaurants, and gyms, completely oblivious to the crisis that is suffocating the country.
Tamara Marrero has turned her everyday life into a showcase of luxury and pleasure.
Thus denounced the independent media Cubanet on January 26, asserting that "Tamara Marrero Cruz shamelessly displays a life of luxury and excess that is only possible under the protection of power" , accompanied by photographs depicting opulent parties, spa sessions, elegant dinners, and wellness routines far removed from the national context.
That double standard was also pointed out by journalist Mario J Penton, who joked on social media: “Manuel Marrero's sister really knows what it means to live life to the fullest! Private spa, sales businesses in Holguín, and to top it off she sent both daughters to Miami [...]. In short, hypocrisy.”
The public denunciation not only exposes a privileged private life, but also highlights the mechanisms of impunity and favoritism with which a ruling class operates, demanding sacrifices from the people while living in comfort.
A businesswoman without controls or restrictions
Tamara Marrero does not hide her business; on the contrary, she proudly promotes it on social media.
Relax Jaracho is her personal business, a private spa set up in her home in Holguín, where she offers massages and facial treatments using products that she herself labels as "completely natural."
From oatmeal and honey masks to chocolate therapy or essential oils, the business operates with a professional image and its own brand, complete with a logo.
But Relax Jaracho does not appear in the official records of micro, small, and medium enterprises nor as a formalized business, something that in Cuba carries inspections, penalties, and even confiscations for entrepreneurs without a license.
However, Tamara operates without apparent restrictions, and not only from her home. In 2024, Cubanet had already specified that she also had a sales stand in the central Plaza de la Marqueta, as part of a state-run local development program.
There, they sell products ranging from aromatic oils to decorative trays and personalized gifts, many of which feature their brand signature.
His partner and friend Jorge Zayas, owner of the business "Decoraciones Jorge e Irán," has confirmed his active presence in that space, describing it as a well-stocked and diverse store "with distinctive details from Holguín."
Between tourist luxury and humanitarian contacts
The private business is not their only source of income or strategic connections.
Since 2015, Tamara Marrero has been working as a masseuse and sales promoter at the Spa of the Paradisus Río de Oro hotel, one of the most exclusive resorts in eastern Cuba. This position has allowed her to establish direct contact with tourists and international clients, some of whom end up seeking her private services outside of working hours.
But there is an even more relevant nuance: Tamara is also the preferred channel for receiving donations from humanitarian aid groups such as Not Just Tourists, based in Canada.
From her position at the hotel, she receives supplies, medicines, and bags of assistance for children, which are then delivered—with her image visible—to provincial hospitals like the Pediatric Hospital of Holguín.
A life celebrated and documented
Far from being secretive, Tamara frequently shares snapshots of her social life: night outings, gym routines, visits to restaurants, private parties, reggaeton concerts, and relaxing moments with glasses of Baileys.
Their birthdays are intricately decorated events, featuring large cakes, professional photography, and various themes.
All of this violently contrasts with the country that his own brother governs: a nation where the vast majority lack stable access to milk, meat, medication, or public transportation.
“Always smiling, glass in hand, Tamara enjoys a Cuba that doesn't exist for most”, insisted Cubanet in its publication.
Two daughters, two paths toward the "enemy"
The story of privileges is not limited to Tamara. Her daughters, Giselle and Lorena Selcis, grew up accompanying their mother in this parallel world.
In 2017, Lorena celebrated her 15th birthday with a lavish party at the Siboney Club in Holguín, decorated by Jorge Zayas.
However, even that life of advantages was not enough to keep them on the island.
Giselle arrived in the United States in 2022 via the Mexico border and applied for asylum, while Lorena entered at the end of 2023 thanks to the humanitarian parole initiated by the Biden administration.
Today, both live in the country that the Cuban government labels as an enemy, while their uncle leads the most virulent speeches against Washington.
As researcher Luis Domínguez, president of the Cuban Repressors project, warned: "They are two young women from the elite, two who have benefited from the power in Cuba [...]. Neither they nor their families have ever struggled, and even they don't believe their uncle's promises that the country will improve. They left as well."
The dual Cuba that persists in impunity
The case of the Marrero family is not an isolated one, but it does illustrate the double standard that underpins power in Cuba.
While the people are asked to show resilience and austerity, those in power and their associates have unrestricted access to private business, donations, visas, luxuries, and even asylum in the United States. The rules do not apply equally to everyone.
Tamara Marrero Cruz does not hold a public office nor does she officially represent the State, but her impunity and privileges stem from her surname and her direct connection to power.
She does not believe in the restrictions of the system, and her daily life reflects that.
And those around her - including her daughters - also do not believe in the promised future. They have already left it behind.
Cubanet concludes its report with a legitimate concern: "Until when?”.
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