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The American political streamer Hasan Piker, known on social media as HasanAbi, faced heavy criticism on X after images and comments about his visit to Cuba circulated, where several users accused him of showcasing an outfit valued at around 5,000 dollars.
The content creator, while traversing an island marked by blackouts, scarcity, and a severe economic crisis, was wearing luxurious clothing.
The controversy grew particularly after Piker praised the supposed "calmness" of the Cubans in the face of daily power outages, an assessment that many found insulting and disconnected from reality.
On the X account of the user identified as Decoy, criticisms circulated not only regarding his statements about Cuba but also about the estimated cost of the clothing and accessories he wore during the trip.
"Wearing a $5,000 outfit to tell poor people that 'capitalism is bad' is crazy," reads the tweet.
Other reactions focused on the price of their cargo pants and what they deemed an extravagant designer item difficult to justify in a time of hardship.
Several comments describe those prices as "ridiculous" and a "waste of money," even among people who admitted they would pay more for quality clothing, but not for luxury brands.
It was specifically mentioned that he was wearing two rings—one silver and the other gold, one on the pinky of his left hand and the other on the ring finger of his right hand—valued at approximately between $4,000 and $6,000.
Based on that information, several users made ironic comments about the contrast between his anti-capitalist rhetoric and the personal luxury he displayed amidst Cuban poverty.
"That amounts to 26 Cubans (in Cuba) working for a year or one Cuban working for 26 years. But of course, Hasan, go tell the Cubans how well they live. A true scourge," wrote a user.
Ideological tour to romanticize poverty
The controversy intensified due to the content of the video that Piker posted from Cuba, which was shared on X by the user @JaviXCubaLibre.
The clip garnered over 41,000 views in just a few hours and sparked a new wave of outrage among Cubans both inside and outside the island.
In that recording, the streamer stated that Cubans are “simply calm” despite the daily rotational blackouts, and suggested that this reaction could be explained by a supposed “island mentality.”
He also described Cuba as "one of my officially favorite places" and praised the "resilience" of the Cuban people.
Those statements were interpreted by many critics as a trivialization of the everyday suffering of millions of people.
The contrast with Cuban reality was particularly stark because, just one day before the video's release, on March 22, there had been a total collapse of the National Electric Power System at 6:38 PM local time, leaving 90% of Havana without electricity.
Additionally, it is noted that the generation deficit reached 2,040 megawatts against a demand of up to 3,130 megawatts, resulting in power outages of 12 hours or more daily across the country.
While that situation was affecting the population, Piker was staying at the Gran Hotel Bristol Meliá Collection, a five-star establishment with rates ranging from 130 to 520 dollars per night, equipped with its own generators, stable internet, and air conditioning.
From there, he broadcasted live to 1.6 million followers "with complete ease," an element that intensified the accusations of hypocrisy.
In response to the questions, the streamer defended his accommodations by claiming that the regulations of the United States government require U.S. citizens to stay in hotels approved by the Cuban government.
Piker's visit to the island was part of the so-called Convoy Nuestra América, an initiative organized by Progressive International that brought together over 650 participants from 33 countries.
Among the attendees were figures such as Pablo Iglesias, Jeremy Corbyn, and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib. The event culminated on March 21 with an official ceremony presided over by Miguel Díaz-Canel, who took the opportunity to assert that "Cuba is not alone."
That context reinforced the understanding that the streamer's journey was not merely a tourist trip, but rather a journey with strong political and ideological significance.
"We are not a theme park."
Public responses varied, but they all agreed in questioning the presentation of the foreign visitor.
Journalist Yoani Sánchez reacted with a cutting remark: “We are not a theme park.”
The comedian Ulises Toirac ironically suggested that Piker spend a month living on 4,000 Cuban pesos and a ration booklet.
Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar denounced the "hypocrisy" of activists staying in luxury hotels while the Cuban people endure the worst energy crisis in decades. Cuban exiles described the streamer's attitude as a "colossal mockery" and an example of "champagne socialism."
Hasan Doğan Piker was born on July 25, 1991, in New Jersey and grew up in Istanbul. He is an American Twitch streamer, a leftist political commentator, a former contributor to The Young Turks and HuffPost, with over 3 million followers on Twitch and a media presence that CNN once compared to a sort of "AM radio for Generation Z."
He is also a self-declared socialist, anti-capitalist, and one of the most vocal critics of U.S. foreign policy.
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