Sandro Castro Praises New Government Exchange Rate: "We've Triumphed Over El Toque"

The entrepreneur and influencer Sandro Castro, grandson of the late dictator Fidel Castro, took to social media to express his support for the new floating exchange rate announced by the Central Bank of Cuba (BCC). He declared that "the people have triumphed over El Toque," referring to the blocking of the independent media outlet on the island.

In what he termed a "vampiric information note," Castro portrayed the downfall of El Toque as a victory for the populace. He asserted, "We've defeated El Toque, as I believe the people raised their voices. Many opposed El Toque, and numerous repudiation acts were performed against them, realizing they were frauds, not a reliable source."

Castro attributed the media outlet's blockade to the Cuban government, considering it a necessary action. He stated, "Now the government manages to block it through various platforms, though they might still try to enter via WhatsApp and Telegram groups, which we must prevent," while acknowledging his confusion about the delay in taking such action.

Exchange Rate Shift: A New Chapter

Shifting focus, Castro addressed the newly announced official exchange rate by the Central Bank of Cuba. "This new variable rate, currently set at 410 to buy and 418 to sell, is the right approach," he commented, while admitting, "the bank lacks foreign currency to sell," and that "money changers control the currency, working for remittance agents connected to the United States." He urged that these players shouldn't be seen as adversaries, "because they supply us with the dollars we need," suggesting these individuals should use the bank's rate as a reference, similar to El Toque in the past, while acknowledging their profit motives.

Castro wrapped up his message with a plea for Cuban solidarity: "We must find solutions among ourselves, not harm or kill each other."

Social Media Buzz and Blockade Context

Before releasing his video, Sandro Castro shared several Instagram stories on the topic. "Yes, my people, all my vampires, all my Cubans, we've defeated El Toque. You won't find their page even with a VPN," he stated in a video, writing: "Goodbye El Toque. Today's reference value USD 410. Tomorrow we'll see. Don't pay more than that."

On December 17, one day ahead of the Central Bank's announcement, El Toque publicly reported that their website was being blocked from within Cuba. "We've received strong indications that eltoque.com is being blocked from Cuba, preventing normal access by our audience," the outlet stated in a social media release, accompanied by the phrase "We are under attack."

The EFE agency, as cited by Swissinfo, confirmed the statements of the media's director, José Jasán Nieves, who accused the Cuban government of orchestrating the attack. "They managed to take us down," Nieves remarked, noting the site was targeted by a "network of bots" and remained inaccessible from the island.

Continuing Tensions with El Toque

The conflict between Sandro Castro and El Toque has been escalating since October. In previous videos, Castro accused the outlet of driving up the dollar in the informal market, labeling it as a "dark elite" and claiming they earned "128 million dollars in a single day."

In November, he also announced his own venture, "Vampicash Cup," stating it was "digitally created" but required "governmental approval for legal status, transparency, and reliability."

The Central Bank of Cuba unveiled a new floating exchange rate on December 18, applicable to individuals and non-state entities. The BCC's president, Juana Lilia Delgado, explained that the system would split the currency market into three segments, allowing the private sector's rate to fluctuate with supply and demand.

Initially, the dollar was pegged at 410 CUP and the euro at 481.42 CUP, figures closely aligning with the informal market rates reported by El Toque. Officials defended the move as a step towards a "more transparent and functional" market.

Castro's video sparked a wave of online reactions. Many criticized him harshly: "Go play revolutionary, coward, living a rich life at the expense of people's suffering," one user commented. Others were more sarcastic: "Stop everything, the fool is going to talk about economics," "He sounds like the news or the Round Table," and "El Toque: Ctrl+C, Central Bank: Ctrl+V."

Among the few supportive voices were comments like: "For the first time, I hear him say something logical" and "He's right, we need to help each other." However, the majority insisted that the real issue lies with the system, not the rate: "Talk about hospitals, hunger, blackouts, not the dollar," one user urged.

These reactions reveal the widespread indignation and distrust many Cubans feel towards any speech associated with power, even when it masquerades as a conciliatory message.