The Cuban actor Yaniel Castillo has once again shaken up social media, this time with a parody of Sandro Castro that, due to its level of accuracy, has confused thousands of users and even elicited a response from the person in question.
In a video posted on his Instagram account -where he appeared dressed as Fidel Castro's grandson- Castillo Castillo recreated a satirical scene that imitated a public appearance.
With a serious tone and mimicking Sandro's gestures and way of speaking, Yaniel began saying:
“I want to tell everyone that the interview with CNN did not take place under the best conditions, but now that I am here in front of Cubavision, Canal Educativo 2, and Tele Rebelde... I am going to vent because I believe the people deserve this public apology.”
In an unexpected turn, during the same performance, the impersonator introduced a political message that broke with the usual narrative of the character he represents:
"In Cuba, there is indeed a dictatorship that has lasted for over seventy years... and I just wanted to tell all of you that freedom for political prisoners... History will absolve you."
The video, which quickly went viral, also included a particularly funny moment when a helicopter flew over the area during the recording.
Castillo, without breaking character, improvised: “Marco Rubio, buddy, don’t come at me now, catching me off guard, give me a break”...
The video not only generated thousands of reactions, but it also led Sandro Castro himself to give a like and publicly interact with the parody.
“How great it is”, wrote the influencer, accompanied by several laughing emoticons.
Reactions
The video has garnered over 2,000 comments, and a vast majority agree on one point: the level of imitation is so convincing that many believed, at least for a few seconds, that it was the real Sandro Castro.
Others highlighted the comedian's acting ability with comments like: "Your acting talent is excellent"; "How do you imitate the voices so well?" or "You're too good at what you do."
However, not all reactions were positive.
As often happens in content related to figures connected to power in Cuba, the video also sparked a wave of critical comments, many directed not at the actor, but at Sandro Castro himself.
"What's not said by the original was said by the copy"; "I came to insult him... but I can see it’s not him"; "We don't want Castro, nor children of Castro, nor grandchildren";
"The more you do, the more we discard you," some internet users commented.
A satire in context
The imitation by Yaniel Castillo comes just a few days after an interview given by Sandro Castro to CNN, in which the young man criticized the management of Miguel Díaz-Canel, acknowledged the seriousness of the crisis on the island, and defended capitalism as the model desired by many Cubans.
In that conversation, Fidel Castro's grandson stated, “For me, the president is not doing a good job”; and he claimed that “the majority of Cubans want capitalism, not communism.”
The contrast between those statements and Castillo's parody—which takes the discourse towards a more direct critique of the political system—has helped amplify the impact of the video.
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