On Tuesday, Razones de Cuba, a digital propaganda outlet tied directly to Cuban State Security, refuted the account of conservative American YouTuber Nick Shirley. Shirley alleged that he was followed and harassed by intelligence agents during his visit to Cuba on April 30.
Shirley shared a video on social media describing how Cuban agents trailed him from the airport, confiscated his filming equipment, and cornered him in his hotel lobby on the night of April 30.
"Right now, we have Cuban intelligence in the hotel lobby, working to basically trap us and potentially imprison us or prevent us from leaving Cuba," Shirley stated from the eighth floor of his Havana hotel. He left the island on May 1.
Official Denial and Accusations
Razones de Cuba responded with an article dismissing Shirley's claims as a "pure anti-communist script." The outlet asserted that Shirley entered Cuba with a tourist visa, not a journalist visa, conducted unauthorized recordings and interviews, was called in for a routine immigration interview, and chose to advance his departure voluntarily.
The platform, known for its tactics of discreditation, stated, "While he was fabricating conspiracies in a hotel with 24/7 electricity, over 600,000 Cubans marched on May Day for peace and submitted more than 6 million signatures against the blockade."
Past Incidents and Social Media Crackdown
What Razones de Cuba omits in its rhetoric is that its social media platforms, led by Humberto Dionil López Suárez, were blocked by Meta in May 2025 due to community standards violations. Additionally, in 2022, a network of nearly a thousand fake Cuban accounts linked to its propaganda ecosystem was dismantled.
The outlet is notorious for targeting independent journalists, publishing profiles of critical media directors labeling them as "mercenaries," and criminalizing opposition figures. In April 2026, State Security targeted the so-called "Spiderman of Cuba" in a coordinated public discreditation campaign with official media.
Press Freedom and Humanitarian Context
Shirley's case is not isolated regarding the treatment of foreign journalists and content creators in the country. Cuba ranks 160th out of 180 countries on the 2026 Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, the second-worst in Latin America after Nicaragua.
In January 2026, there were 69 arbitrary detentions of journalists, a 430% increase from the same month the previous year.
Shirley stated that his trip aimed to document the island's humanitarian crisis. The reality he sought to capture includes more than two million Cubans in emergency situations and over 96,000 pending surgeries, according to April 2026 data, while hospitals operate amid chronic blackouts.
Media Coverage and Political Landscape
Shirley's video was featured on TMZ Live on May 1 and shared by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Roberto J. González, who praised it as "real journalism."
Contrastingly, Cuba currently holds 775 political prisoners, 338 of whom were convicted for the July 11, 2021 protests, a backdrop for any discussion on press freedom in the country.
Background on Nick Shirley
Nicholas Shirley, born on April 4, 2002, in the United States, is a content creator and YouTuber known for his right-wing views. He grew up in Utah and graduated from Farmington High School in 2020.
He began his YouTube career at 16 with prank videos and vlogs, often featuring friends and participating in public stunts. In 2021, he paused his activities for a religious mission in Chile and, upon returning in 2023, shifted his content towards political topics, identifying as an independent journalist, though traditional media have questioned this label.
His popularity surged through street interviews and political videos, some of which have been controversial. He has shown support for Donald Trump and engaged in related media actions and campaigns, collaborating indirectly with Republican politicians.
Though criticized for sensationalism and amplifying anti-immigrant or Islamophobic rhetoric, Shirley defends his work as legitimate exposure of irregularities.
Understanding Cuba's Media Environment and Humanitarian Challenges
What is the role of Razones de Cuba in the Cuban media landscape?
Razones de Cuba is a digital platform used by Cuban State Security to disseminate propaganda, attack independent journalists, and discredit opposition figures, utilizing tactics of manipulation and misinformation.
Why did Nick Shirley travel to Cuba?
Nick Shirley traveled to Cuba to document the humanitarian crisis on the island, aiming to highlight the emergency conditions and systemic issues faced by the Cuban population.
How does Cuba rank in terms of press freedom?
Cuba ranks 160th out of 180 countries in the Press Freedom Index 2026 by Reporters Without Borders, indicating severe restrictions on journalistic freedoms, second only to Nicaragua in Latin America.