Sandro Castro, grandson of Fidel Castro, published a video on his Instagram account this Sunday titled «PRESENTIN LA PIEDRA » which sparked a wave of outraged reactions and direct questions about whether the dictator's grandson was encouraging drug use.
The term «the stone» has a double meaning that did not go unnoticed. On one hand, it is the popular name for crack, a processed form of cocaine that is smoked and highly addictive.
On the other hand, "the stone" is also the term used by Cubans to refer to the tomb of Fidel Castro: a roughly hewn monolith nearly four meters tall located in the Santa Ifigenia Heritage Cemetery in Santiago de Cuba.
That deliberate ambiguity sparked comments. One user explained it straightforwardly: "The drug popularly known as 'la piedra' is crack. It is a processed form of cocaine that is smoked and is extremely addictive. (...) I don't understand what is happening in Cuba, how far we are going to go with Sandro Castro's disrespect."
Another follower was even more direct: «Are you inciting to consume Piedra or is it just my imagination? No, because that's what I understood.»
The post also ignited political readings. The most supported comment demanded from Sandro: "Do you want to do something for Cubans? ¡Give up your great-uncle!", referring to Raúl Castro.
Another user combined both readings with irony: "Your grandfather, who is now in the stone, was always a chatterbox." And another one pointed out: "If your grandfather saw this, he would hide under the stone again."
The social dimension of the message is significant. According to data from the Ministry of Education of Cuba, more than 6,000 students are at risk due to drugs, with the onset of consumption occurring between the ages of 13 and 15.
A comment summarized it bluntly: "The stone is extremely expensive, only for the powerful. Cuban youth turns to kimiko, which costs less than a loaf of bread."
This video is not an isolated incident. Just ten days earlier, Sandro had published another message about the bonfires in Havana referring to "the stone," in the context of the massive protests against the blackouts affecting the capital.
However, on this occasion Sandro Castro crosses a dangerous line and could even expose himself to reports on Instagram for a message interpreted by many as an incitement to drug use.
The influencer approached an extremely sensitive topic in a country where thousands of families are suffering the real impact of drug trafficking and consumption with a sense of humor, treating it like a joke.
"Presentation is needed, says the grandson of the commander," wrote a user, capturing the general bewilderment over a post that, according to many, goes too far.
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