A post from La Tijera News reported on social media about an alleged private party attributed to Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, known as "El Cangrejo," the grandson of Raúl Castro, amidst the blackouts, shortages, and economic crisis affecting millions of Cubans.
According to the post, the celebration reportedly took place at "Casa de Soles," in the 81 area of Playa, Havana, and included fireworks, live music with an orchestra, and a display of luxury. The post claims that the party was for the birthday of Rodríguez Castro's girlfriend, although CiberCuba has not been able to independently verify that information or confirm the exact date of the event.
The report quickly went viral among Cubans both inside and outside the island. In the comments on the post, several users mentioned having heard or seen fireworks from nearby areas of Playa and Santa Fe, with some even pinpointing the celebration in the La Marina area.
These testimonies do not constitute independent verification, but they reflect how the accusation was taken up by numerous internet users as a recognizable scene within the map of privileges of the Cuban elite.
"While Cuba suffers from blackouts," noted La Tijera News as it attributed the party to Raúl Castro's grandson. The phrase summarized the tone of indignation: while millions of Cubans are focused on blackouts, food, transportation, and prices, the family connected to power reappears associated with private celebrations, security, live music, and fireworks.
An area marked by rumors of elite circles and private business dealings
The location indicated by the publication adds another layer of interpretation. The area of Playa, Santa Fe, and the channels of Marina Hemingway has previously appeared in complaints and reports regarding restaurants, private businesses, and spaces frequented by figures associated with the families in power.
In September 2024, CiberCuba reported an alleged intervention at the establishment "El Laurel", located near the channels of the exclusive Marina Hemingway. This information was also based on images and unconfirmed reports shared on social media, and indicated a dispute surrounding the venue, its former operators, and new economic players.
What is relevant to this story is not so much the incident itself, but the rumor surrounding it: reports circulating at the time claimed that «El Laurel» had allegedly been run for years by supposed front men for «El Cangrejo».
CiberCuba could not confirm those accusations, but it collected them as part of a web of allegations regarding businesses, privileges, and areas of influence associated with the Castro elite.
Now, the report from La Tijera once again places the spotlight on that same geographical area of Playa and La Marina. There are not enough elements to claim it is the same property or a connected business structure, but the territorial coincidence fuels a hypothesis circulating among many Cubans: the existence of a circuit of mansions, paladares, private celebrations, and businesses reserved for the heirs of power, while the rest of the country survives amidst blackouts and shortages.
The history of luxury of "El Cangrejo"
Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro has become one of the most scrutinized figures in Raúl Castro's family circle. Although he does not hold a formal high-level position in the Cuban government, he has been identified as a colonel in the Ministry of the Interior and the head of his grandfather's personal security.
CiberCuba has documented on several occasions the contrast between the public image of "El Cangrejo" and the situation of most Cubans. In July, his appearance in luxury brand clothing and accessories sparked outrage, especially after declaring that it pained him that Cubans could not live like him.
Before, Rodríguez Castro had already been linked to parties, exclusive hotels, and high-consumption environments in Cuba. His family background has also been associated with luxury businesses. In 2019, CiberCuba revealed that Vilma Rodríguez Castro, sister of "El Cangrejo" and granddaughter of Raúl Castro, was renting a mansion in Miramar through Airbnb under the name "Casa Vida Luxury Holidays," for up to 650 dollars a night.
This pattern is repeated among other members of the Castro family. Sandro Castro, grandson of the dictator Fidel Castro, has faced criticism for showcasing parties, cars, bars, and leisure spaces inaccessible to most Cubans. In 2023, he was spotted with his girlfriend at the paladar "El Laurel," an expensive restaurant located in the Santa Fe area.
Sanctions, omissions, and open questions
The privileged life attributed to the heirs of Castroism contrasts with the increasing pressure from the United States on figures within the Cuban regime, family members of the leadership, and entities controlled by the military and security apparatus.
In recent months, Washington has sanctioned Miguel Díaz-Canel, Lis Cuesta Peraza, Alejandro Castro Espín, Raúl Alejandro Castro Calis, Fidel Ernesto Castro Calis, as well as entities linked to the economic and military power of the regime.
However, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro has not yet been included in those rounds of sanctions, an absence that has raised questions both inside and outside of Cuba.
CiberCuba has reported that this omission could be due to political calculations, informal communication channels, or selective pressure strategies, although there is no definitive public explanation.
In any case, the figure of "El Cangrejo" continues to grow as a symbol of an uninstitutional succession, woven through surnames, business, security, international contacts, and rumors of real power.
An unconfirmed report, yet politically revealing
CiberCuba has not been able to independently confirm the complete authenticity of the complaint from La Tijera News, the exact location of the event, the identities of all participants, or the actual reason for the party.
It is also not verified that the event was related to the birthday of Sheila Mariño, a Cuban model romantically linked to Rodríguez Castro in press publications and on social media.
But even with these precautions, the publication reveals a deep discontent: the perception that the Castro elite lives in a parallel reality, surrounded by privileges, while demanding sacrifice, discipline, and "resistance" from the people.
The alleged scene of fireworks in Playa does not, on its own, prove a business structure or a direct connection to other previous incidents in the area. However, it fits into the narrative that many Cubans have built from years of complaints, leaks, and reports about the heirs of power: mansions, paladares, hotels, luxury brands, private parties, and a life completely alien to that of the average Cuban.
In a country where a blackout can paralyze a city, a barrage of fireworks attributed to Raúl Castro's grandson is enough to reignite outrage.
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