A Facebook profile linked to the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in Matanzas publicly accused a Cuban man of using three counterfeit $100 bills and stated that the man became involved in a legal proceeding.
However, the story took a turn when an individual identifying as the accused appeared in the comments to deny the version circulated by the official page and asserted that they are not imprisoned, have no criminal record, and are not involved in any activities related to scams.
The publication "With Everyone, Victory" identified the alleged implicated individual as José Ángel Rodríguez Barreto and stated that he had delivered 300 counterfeit dollars to another person, who supposedly discovered the deception after receiving the money.
The accused responds, "I am not in prison."
A person who commented from a profile named José Ángel Rodríguez Barreto responded directly to the post and provided a version completely different from that disseminated by the profile linked to MININT.
“I am not imprisoned and I certainly do not engage in that, nor do I have a criminal record. If you are going to say something, please make it true, because then people believe it,” he wrote.
In their comment, the user not only denies being detained, but also rejects any connection to the events attributed to them by the publication and directly questions the accuracy of the information disclosed.
His message thus introduces a substantial contradiction with the narrative of the official profile, which stated that the authorities "caught him" and that he was already involved in a criminal process. However, being subjected to a criminal process does not necessarily mean being in prison, which makes the denial even more significant when the individual also rejects any alleged connection to the events.
Another user came to his defense and stated: “José Ángel is a friend of mine and does not engage in scamming.”
CiberCuba has not been able to independently verify that the account that published the denial actually belongs to José Ángel Rodríguez Barreto identified by the official profile. It has also been unable to independently determine which of the versions of what happened is correct.
However, even with that caveat, the comment has
The controversy is particularly significant because it was the publication itself that publicly identified an individual as the alleged perpetrator of a crime, while providing few verifiable details about the case.
The response of a user with the same name as the one mentioned, whether or not their identity is ultimately confirmed, presents readers with two radically contradictory versions and raises questions about the rigor with which this information is disseminated.
The official profile did not provide evidence of the accusation
"Con Todos la Victoria," a page used to share updates on operations, arrests, and other content related to police actions in Matanzas, presented the case in a distinctly colloquial tone.
He described the bills as "fake, the kind that look like real money but are just pure fantasy," and stated that the authorities "didn't waste any time and caught him as they should have." He confirmed that the person in question "is already caught up in a criminal process, fresh and unable to get out."
However, the publication did not show photographs of the alleged counterfeit bills, the accused, or any documentation related to the criminal process. It also did not provide other elements that would allow for public verification of the described circumstances.
The absence of such evidence becomes more significant in light of the denial published in the comments. Although the identity of its author could not be verified, the response calls into question information that was initially presented categorically to the profile's own audience.
Users question the post and demand more information
The exchange prompted divided reactions. While some users supported the police's actions, others questioned the way the official profile presented the case.
"You all have gone too far with the defamation. Show credible faces or it's all just a tale," commented a person.
Others took the opportunity to demand greater action from the authorities regarding crimes that impact their communities.
"It is really needed that they act the same way against those who are robbing houses," wrote a user.
Another one called attention to events that occurred in his area: "I want to see when they catch the thief from here, from La Sirenita, who has taken all the solar lamps from the block."
MININT profiles under scrutiny for their communication style
The episode refocuses attention on the peculiar communication strategy used by social media profiles linked to MININT, which disseminate content about alleged crimes, arrests, and police operations with a language that at times significantly deviates from the tone one would expect from institutional communication.
Mocking expressions, colloquial phrases, derogatory terms aimed at the targets, and formulas designed to attract attention or generate interaction appear in this type of publication.
In this case, expressions such as "truchos," "they caught him as they should have," or "they got him tangled in a criminal process, fresh and unable to get out" imbue the narrative with a crude tone that is not in line with the seriousness of a communication regarding an alleged crime and a possible criminal procedure.
The problem, however, goes beyond style. These pages can publicly identify individuals as alleged perpetrators of crimes by providing limited information about the circumstances of the cases, without necessarily accompanying their publications with documents, images of the evidence, or other elements that would allow readers to verify the claims made.
This case reflects precisely that problem. A post about an alleged use of counterfeit currency ended up generating controversy regarding the credibility and communication methods of these pro-government profiles, after someone with the same name as the accused publicly denied their connection to the events in the comments section itself.
That CiberCuba has been unable to confirm that this user is indeed Rodríguez Barreto necessitates caution regarding his denial, but it does not eliminate the controversy generated by a publication that exposes an individual by name while providing little verifiable information about the alleged crime.
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