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While Cubans survive on salaries ranging from 10 to 15 dollars a month and endure power outages of up to 25 hours a day, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the favorite grandson of Raúl Castro known as "El Cangrejo," speaks enthusiastically about the Yankees, foie gras, and the opulence of Moscow in published this Monday.
Rodríguez Castro, 42 years old, traveled the world throughout his twenties and thirties as his grandfather's aide, earning a reputation as a partygoer in the capitals he visited. From that period, he has memories that now seem obscene in light of the crisis the island is facing.
From New York, the city's incessant rhythm stands out. Between 2012 and 2016, he entered under the auspices of the Cuban mission to the UN, with a diplomatic passport granting him international immunity, and from that privileged position, he attended Yankees games from seats close to the field. His favorite player was Derek Jeter.
From Paris, one admires romanticism and gastronomy. There was even an envisioning of a Cuba where its citizens could buy foie gras in supermarkets, a vision that contrasts with the reality of a country where the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned in June 2026 that children are dying due to a lack of medication.
The opulence of Moscow stands out, plain and simple.
The outfit he wore when appearing before USA Today reflects his lifestyle: light blue skinny jeans, a black Hugo Boss t-shirt, and Hermès sneakers. He also sports a Rolex Submariner and a gold Cuban chain with a pendant engraved with the initials "FCR" and "RCR" —Fidel Castro Ruz and Raúl Castro Ruz—. He keeps his classified reports in a Salvatore Ferragamo leather briefcase.
A joint investigative report by La Prensa de Panamá, Armando.Info, Transparencia Venezuela en el Exilio, and the Centro Latinoamericano de Investigación Periodística documented at least 23 private jet trips to Panama between 2024 and the end of 2025 for luxury shopping.
In light of the evidence of that abyss, Rodríguez Castro offered a response that reflects his character: "It hurts me that many people cannot live like I do. I feel the weight of how people struggle. And I work every day to change that situation."
The phrase did not convince anyone outside of his circle. Rodríguez Castro himself acknowledged that negotiations with Washington have not borne fruit: "I would like to respond affirmatively to that question, but the reality is that I cannot."
Its public emergence comes at the worst time for Cuba. Trump's Executive Order 14380, signed in January 2026, collapsed the island's energy imports by between 80% and 90%, resulting in blackouts over more than 55% of the territory and a projected GDP contraction of -6.5% for this year.
Rodríguez Castro presents himself as the man capable of bridging a connection with the Trump administration: “If I am appointed, I can negotiate with anyone selected by the United States government. Given the opportunity, of course with Trump”. However, Ricardo Herrero, executive director of the Cuba Study Group, warned that this is not enough: “This administration has helped create Raulito. It has achieved consensus among the various factions of the Cuban state in favor of market openness. But that is not enough for those around Rubio, who want to see political change, not just economic.”
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