Sandro Castro, grandson of Fidel Castro, shared a video on his Instagram stories announcing that he will continue with his initiative of "humanitarian aid and solidarity" in Cuba, just days after being seen distributing food boxes to people in vulnerable situations on the rundown streets of Havana.
In the message, Castro expressed satisfaction with his followers' response to the distribution video, published last Monday, and announced that he will expand the scope of his solidarity efforts.
"Good morning everyone, I am very happy because I have seen the positive and lovely reactions from all my followers regarding the latest content I uploaded, and many people want to join in this humanitarian assistance and solidarity," said Castro in the recording.
The grandson of Fidel Castro announced that in the coming days he will be working alongside influencers, individuals from the private sector, and private citizens to continue what he described as "heart projects," concluding with the phrase: for MY Cuba and the Cuba of all of us.
The video of the food distribution last Monday, in which Castro stated we are going to make the hearts of many people happy, generated hundreds of comments and an intense political debate on social media within a few hours.
Reactions to that first video were deeply divided. Among the critics, several users pointed out the contradiction between the gesture and the surname he carries: "Fixing what your grandfather destroyed," one wrote. Others were more direct: "Dude, if you really want to help, tell your family to leave Cuba. Cuba doesn’t need charity; it needs freedom." One phrase summarized the skepticism of many: "Solidarity is practiced in private; otherwise, it becomes humiliation."
However, another part of her followers applauded the gesture with messages like "You are different from the rest of your family".
The announcement comes at a time of high media exposure for Castro, aged 33. At the end of March, he granted an interview to CNN en Español in which he criticized Díaz-Canel —he is not doing a good job— and stated that the majority of Cubans want capitalism, not communism. In that same interview, he revealed that he had been summoned for interrogation by State Security due to his satirical videos.
The context in which these actions take place is that of a Cuba plunged into a profound humanitarian crisis, characterized by widespread food shortages, massive blackouts, and accelerated urban decay, the result of 67 years of communist dictatorship.
Castro is the owner of the EFE bar in Havana's Vedado, where the minimum spending per table amounts to 15,000 Cuban pesos, equivalent to about two months of the average Cuban salary, which fuels the doubts of those who see the food distribution as a strategy for image rather than a genuine act of solidarity.
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