Gino Montalvo, the Cuban influencer known as Oyacito, leads the ranking of Planeta Alofoke and was at the center of one of the most controversial moments of the reality show this weekend when the show's host, Santiago Matías (Alofoke), told him live on air that he did not deserve that position.
Upon learning that he was in first place on the leaderboard, Oyacito took the moment to thank his community: "Thank you, Cuba. Thank you, Cuba," he is heard saying in the video.
Alofoke, for his part, reacted immediately and added: "Thank you, Cuba, and thank you, Jiménez. If he hadn't supported you, you wouldn't have achieved it. The Cubans were very upset when that happened."
The Dominican driver was even more direct in questioning his leadership in the ranking: "I believe you don't deserve the number one spot because you haven't provided enough content."
During the exchange, Alofoke also revealed that on a previous occasion they left the microphone open "on purpose" and attributed Gino's rise to the top position to his confrontation with the participant Jiménez, which supposedly sparked massive support from the Cuban audience.
The contradiction between Gino's leadership on the board and the public questioning of the host ignited social media immediately.
The video garnered over 92,900 views, 16,356 likes, and 1,657 comments in less than 24 hours, with an overwhelming number of supportive messages for the Cuban from Miami, Chile, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic itself.
"Now more than ever, all Cubans are going to make sure Gino takes first place so he understands that if he's in first place, it's because he truly deserves it." or "What a lack of respect, he deserves more than number one," some fans commented.
Many followers accused Alofoke of favoritism towards the Dominican participants and pointed out that the comment had the opposite effect than intended: it further mobilized the Cuban audience.
This episode is not the first one surrounding Gino's participation in the program. Last Wednesday, Gino was aggressively confronted by contestants Michael Flores and Jiménez, which sparked an initial wave of support under the hashtag #TeamGino.
After that controversy, Alofoke blocked the Cuban influencer Kenny Robert on social media after he recorded a video defending Gino, stating: "I think these people went too far."
Gino Montalvo is a Cuban influencer based in Miami with a strong presence on TikTok and Instagram, known for his charisma and his outspoken stance against the Cuban regime.
Entered Planeta Alofoke on April 13 carrying the Cuban flag and with the promise to represent his community "with love, discipline, and unity" during the 55 days of the program, which offers a maximum prize of 250,000 dollars.
Before this reality show, Gino came in second place in El Rancho de Destino earlier this year, winning $25,000 and a Honda Civic.
Far from hindering his rise, Alofoke's questioning has made Gino Montalvo the most talked-about contestant on the show and has solidified the support of the Cuban community, which sees in his potential victory something more than a reality prize.
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