An exclusive video obtained by journalist Mario Vallejo shows Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), drinking and smoking cigars at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba with his family, moments after being the keynote speaker at a political event organized by the regime on May 22 at the José Martí Anti-imperialist Tribune along Havana's Malecón.
On that day, Hernández Nordelo had rallied the crowd gathered in front of the United States Embassy in defense of Raúl Castro, following the criminal charges presented by the U.S. Department of Justice on May 20, which include charges of conspiracy to murder American citizens and four counts of homicide related to the downing of aircraft from Hermanos al Rescate in 1996.
Hernández Nordelo was the only leader who spoke at the event. He read a message attributed to Raúl Castro and stated that the accusation is "a despicable and illegal political provocation" that lacks any moral and legitimacy.
"When are they going to judge Trump for ordering the assassination of more than 200 people in international waters, without presenting any evidence?" asked the regime leader, denouncing what he termed as "the bitterness, frustration, and impotence of someone who cannot bear to see Cuba standing, free, and sovereign."
After his impassioned speech, according to the video published by Vallejo, the former spy went to the Hotel Nacional accompanied by his wife, their three children, and a man whom Hernández refers to as "uncle X" —a name that is unintelligible in the recording—. The group is seen drinking and smoking cigars in one of the island's most exclusive establishments, frequented mainly by foreign tourists with foreign currency.
A detail that reinforces that the images were taken on that same day: Hernández Nordelo is wearing the same shirt he had on during the political event at the Malecón.
Vallejo pointed out that the video covers the entire stay from beginning to end. "We have the video from start to finish. It shows everything from their arrival to their departure, and they never pay," the journalist stated, referring to the fact that Hernández Nordelo did not settle the bill at any time.
The contrast is stark. While Hernández Nordelo was drinking at the most luxurious hotel in Havana, the 250,000 attendees that Granma reported at the event—many of whom were said to have been forcibly mobilized, according to dissidents—were returning to homes without electricity, without water, and without enough food.
"Here you can see how the dome mocks the average Cuban, drinking and smoking while thousands return home to find not enough food, water, or electricity," Vallejo wrote when publishing the material. "He called for the people's resistance and dedication, and he himself dedicates and resists."
This is not the first time Hernández has been accused of this kind of hypocrisy. In July 2020, he became the target of memes and criticism when, already serving as the coordinator of the CDR, he asked each committee to produce at least one pumpkin or pineapple to alleviate food shortages, while images circulated of him wearing a Rolex watch valued at approximately $9,830.
In May 2026, he was once again criticized for boasting about Cubans dancing at the May Day events, amid allegations of "bread and circuses" and double standards.
The event on May 22 also featured other revealing scenes: the designated leader Miguel Díaz-Canel did not speak, and Raúl Castro —the honoree— did not attend the event organized in his name, which sparked mockery on social media. "And the honoree didn't go to his own event?" asked a Cuban user. "And Raúl in the cave!" wrote another internet user.
"This reveals the double standard of the Cuban regime," Vallejo concluded in the narration of the exclusive video published on its digital platforms.
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