The Cuban journalist Mónica Baró launched a harsh critique against the power in the Island by referring to the role of Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro - grandson of Raúl Castro - in the official talks between the Cuban government and the United States.
Baró stated that the presence of the so-called Cangrejo in the dialogues demonstrates that there is no real institutional system in Cuba, but rather a structure of familial control.
"What we have in the country is a mafia," he asserted firmly.
In a video shared on Instagram, the reporter began with a statement that, as she herself acknowledged, she never thought she would make: "I never thought I would say this, but I am glad that Raúl Castro is alive at this moment."
Far from being a defense, his argument suggests that the former leader's permanence helps dismantle narratives that have attempted for decades to portray the Cuban system as a revolution driven by ideals.
"It seems to me a magnificent opportunity for those who still believe that in Cuba there is a revolution guided by noble ideals of justice to realize that what we have in the country is a mafia," he insisted.
The journalist denounces a model of power concentrated in a family elite that controls all the levers of the country without the need for formal mechanisms or public legitimacy. In that context, she questioned the involvement of Cangrejo in negotiations with the United States, which does not correspond to merits or official positions.
"A mafia, a family that absolutely controls everything. That does not need its descendants to hold public office or have any kind of recognition to make decisions. That does not need the crab to have any merit to determine the fate of all Cubans," he denounced.
And she was even more explicit in explaining why, in her opinion, this fact is revealing: "If the Crab is negotiating with the Americans, it's because his grandfather told him to."
Various disseminated reports have indicated that Raúl Guillermo has been linked to centers of power and influence despite not holding visible positions within the state structure. His alleged involvement in contacts with the United States has revealed the true nature of political decisions on the Island.
For Baró, this scenario dismantles one of the pillars of the official discourse: the idea that decisions are made in accordance with institutions or popular will. The reality is that the country is governed from closed circles where familial ties carry more weight than any formal structure.
The journalist also presented a hypothetical exercise to highlight the contradiction within the official narrative itself.
"In another context, what would people have said if Raúl were dead? 'It was the family that betrayed him. It was the grandson who betrayed him. It was the son who betrayed him. But the historic generation would have never allowed something like that,'" he emphasized.
However, he emphasized that the reality is different: "Not only is he allowing it, he is commanding it."
His reflection points out that the so-called "historical generation" continues to lead and endorse decisions that contradict the rhetoric that has upheld power in Cuba for years, now through their descendants.
Baró concluded his message with an invitation to confront the reality of the country as the first step toward profound change.
"No matter how difficult it is to admit that we were deceived, that our feelings were played with, and that we were sold a cat instead of a hare, the sooner we realize our reality, the sooner we will be free," he emphasized.
And added a key idea that summarizes the essence of his intervention: "And better, because soon we will also heal as a country."
Her words resonate with a growing discontent both on and off the Island, where an increasing number of voices are questioning the lack of transparency, the absence of civic participation, and the concentration of power in the hands of an elite that dictates the country's direction without accountability.
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