Sandro Castro, grandson of Fidel Castro, confirmed in his Instagram stories that the importation of vehicles to Cuba is "completely halted," although he assured that the situation is temporary and attributed it to "a logistical issue," sparking a wave of ironic reactions on social media.
"Some followers have been asking me if it's true that vehicle imports to Cuba have been halted. They are completely stopped, but it won't be forever. It's a matter of a month, two months, due to logistics issues. And yes, vehicles cannot be imported at the moment," Castro said in the video.
The statement immediately ignited social media, with comments highlighting the contradiction between the regime's official narrative and the reality on the island.
Jose Luis MV said: "what a strange blockade" in an ironic response: if the halt is due to internal management issues, not the U.S. embargo, the regime's usual excuse is exposed.
Ivette Rodriguez Leon emphasized: "They are preparing him to place him in the supposed government, believing that the people support him, so they can remain in power. Open your eyes."
"That guy is abnormal and doesn't respect himself," emphasized Alexis Ruiz.
For his part, Cesar A. Milanes said: "Manipulator like his grandfather, egocentric."
The suspension of imports of internal combustion vehicles has official backing since February 19, when the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX) issued an order signed by the First Deputy Minister Carlos Luis Jorge Méndez.
The measure covers new hires, shipments, and signed contracts pending dispatch, including consignment operations.
The only exceptions are imports for Cuban personnel on diplomatic missions, cooperation workers, professionals contracted by Cuban entities, and crew members of ships and aircraft.
The real cause of the suspension is not logistical, but the fuel crisis affecting Cuba, with power outages of up to 20 hours daily in some provinces.
That it is precisely Sandro Castro who announces this restriction is particularly striking for Cubans, given his well-known lavish lifestyle.
Fidel's grandson has been spotted driving luxury vehicles in Havana, and in July 2025, he was stranded in the capital aboard a luxurious convertible with two seats.
In March 2021, he had to make a public apology for a video in which he boasted about driving a Mercedes-Benz amid an economic crisis and food shortages.
A report from the NGO Food Monitor Program, published on February 25, revealed that Sandro Castro's businesses enjoy privileges in imports and access to foreign currency within the regime's favoritism system.
This reality contrasts with that of the everyday citizen, who cannot import a vehicle while the grandson of the revolutionary elite moves about without apparent restrictions.
In his video, Castro took the opportunity to announce an upcoming interview: "Stay tuned because I will soon share the link to an interview I had there on Muy Buena with the best podcast in New York, as Bad Bunny says."
Since 2023, the Cuban government had allowed individuals and small businesses to import vehicles, resulting in a significant flow: Cuban entrepreneurs imported cars from the United States worth over 20 million dollars in the 15 months leading up to May 2024, according to available data.
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