Cuban author and researcher Sayli Alba Álvarez recently took to Facebook to deliver a powerful message to Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, better known as El Cangrejo. She highlighted the stark contrast between his opulence and the widespread hunger, heat, and despair faced by millions of Cubans.
Alba Álvarez’s Facebook post emerged during a week of unprecedented criticism following the first interview of Raúl Castro's grandson with a U.S. media outlet. The interview, published on July 6 in USA Today, featured him dressed in Hugo Boss attire, Hermès sneakers, and a Rolex Submariner, while offering to negotiate with President Donald Trump.
"I just remind you that beneath your luxuries and under your sneakers lies a starving nation, enduring heat and hopelessness, that can no longer bear it. I wish someone would tell you this," wrote the author, originally from Sancti Spíritus.
Beyond spotlighting El Cangrejo’s privileges against the backdrop of public misery, Alba expressed concern over the financial collapse of Cuban banks, a fact she claims was confirmed by a journalist from her region. She also highlighted the severe shortages of water, electricity, and food affecting state employees.
"I'm worried about not having access to money and the reality that Cuban Banks have gone bankrupt," she noted, adding her dismay over the absence of a voice representing the people or a State Council official who "speaks from the heart" and empathizes with the public's suffering.
Hypocrisy and Pain: A Confession
The writer also referenced El Cangrejo's statement during his interview, "It hurts me that many people can't live like I do," interpreting it as an unintended admission.
"He made it clear that he, that they, are not part of the people, and all I see in those words is tremendous hypocrisy and immense pain on this side," she asserted.
Alba also recalled Sandro Castro, Fidel Castro's grandson, who went viral for bathing in beer, a luxury unattainable for the average Cuban. "Sandro Castro bathed in the beer we can't drink," she mentioned, noting that the shock from this incident has faded, only to be replaced by another elite figure stepping into the spotlight.
The writer's comments join a chorus of criticism, including from singer-songwriter Israel Rojas, who publicly apologized for his previous naiveté in doubting reports of the elite's privileges.
Additionally, comedian Ulises Toirac succinctly captured El Cangrejo's informal power with the phrase: "A slap from him on a table knocks more glasses over than a slap from anyone else."
Regime propagandist Michel Torres Corona also criticized El Cangrejo through a detailed piece in a Uruguayan outlet, venting frustrations he couldn't express on Cuban television.
The regime's response came from Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, who accused critics of executing "a well-designed plan to create uncertainty and distrust." Meanwhile, PCC official Elier Ramírez Cañedo defended Raúl Castro's pampered grandson as "a Cuban interlocutor, by decision of the country's top leadership."
This is not the first time Alba Álvarez has spoken out. In June, she published a viral piece questioning the rationale behind working in Cuba for a salary of 5,000 pesos when a sack of charcoal costs 4,200 pesos and a bottle of oil 1,800 pesos.
Key Insights on Cuba's Current Crisis
Who is El Cangrejo?
El Cangrejo is the nickname for Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, the grandson of Raúl Castro, who has been criticized for his luxurious lifestyle amidst Cuba's struggles.
What sparked recent criticisms of El Cangrejo?
Criticisms intensified following his interview with USA Today, where he appeared in high-end fashion while offering to negotiate with former President Donald Trump, highlighting the disparity between his lifestyle and the Cuban populace's suffering.
How has the Cuban government responded to these criticisms?
The Cuban government, through Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, has accused critics of orchestrating a plan to sow distrust and uncertainty among the populace.