Sandro Castro returned this Tuesday to his unusual love story involving a gasoline canister and delivered a new message filled with double meanings amidst the ongoing energy crisis.
In a story published on Instagram, the grandson of the dictator Fidel Castro revisited the fiction of his 'fuel' girlfriend, but this time he included references that directly connected to the delicate economic situation of the country.
"Sir, my girlfriend has me with an allergy... I'm a small business owner with an allergy right now," he said in the video, referring to the strong smell of fuel from his lover.
The seemingly humorous statement aligns with the recent decision by the regime to authorize micro, small, and medium enterprises (mipymes) to import fuel, albeit under strict state control and through official state intermediaries.
In practice, micro, small, and medium enterprises will not be able to import directly; they will have to manage purchases through state entities, all under the supervision of the centralized apparatus.
In this context, Sandro's self-definition as a “small business with an allergy” seems like a calculated irony: the fuel is permitted, but it reeks of bureaucracy, extra costs, and dependency on the state.
The most striking moment of the reel came when he remarked: “Hey, I had to tell her not to smoke… that girl wanted to smoke. Are you crazy! This is all going to explode! And look, we are about to explode.”
Beyond the obvious joke about the dangers of lighting a cigarette next to gasoline, the metaphor resonates in an island marked by prolonged blackouts, endless lines at gas stations, and growing social unrest.
While the government attempts to present the controlled opening to small and medium-sized enterprises (mipymes) as a relief, and small shipments of fuel from the United States are being recorded under specific licenses, shortages continue to impact transportation, production, and daily life.
In that context, talking about "explosion" doesn't just sound like dark humor.
Sandro insists on using the scarcity and suffering of the Cuban people as his springboard to fame.
If in the Valentine's video he was hugging the canister under a Mexico flag—new oil partner of the regime—now he introduces the risk of combustion and social explosion as a dramatic climax.
Between sarcasm and narcissism, their message leaves an uncomfortable idea lingering: in present-day Cuba, fuel is not only a scarce commodity but also a symbol of accumulated tension. And when energy is lacking, patience follows suit.
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