Fidel Castro’s grandson sparks outrage with lavish lifestyle

Sandro Castro, the grandson of the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, has drawn sharp criticism for using his family name to carve out a flamboyant online persona — often mocking Cuba’s dire economic struggles while flaunting a lavish lifestyle on social media.

Now 33, the Cuban influencer appears to have chosen a starkly different path from his grandfather, who led the 1959 revolution that toppled a dictatorship and established a Communist regime. Unlike the elder Castro, Sandro seems more focused on viral fame than revolutionary ideals.

His Instagram account frequently features videos of him partying with scantily clad women, drinking beer, and donning outfits ranging from monk robes to vampire costumes. He’s also seen joking about the island’s chronic power outages, food and fuel shortages — issues that have worsened under the worst economic crisis Cuba has faced in three decades.

“I woke today with my favorite recipe, chicken with beers… but there isn’t any chicken,” he quipped in one post, while holding a bottle of Cristal, the national lager. In another, he jokingly tells a woman he’d “catch her every four hours from Monday to Monday” if he were the UNE, the state electricity company.

For some, his antics are entertaining — even a humorous reflection of the times. Castro’s supporters jokingly call him the “next President.” But for many others, especially those loyal to the Communist project, his behavior is an insult to his grandfather’s legacy and to ordinary Cubans who are struggling to survive.

Ernesto Limia, a government-aligned historian and author, criticized Castro on Facebook, saying he does not “respect the memory” of Fidel Castro. El Necio, another pro-government influencer, accused Sandro of being “against security in this country” and betraying the “ideals” of the Revolution.

Critics argue that while other members of the Castro family keep a low profile, Sandro is flaunting privilege in a country where dissent is met with harsh punishment. Activists have been imprisoned for so-called crimes such as “contempt” or spreading “enemy propaganda.”

Dissident and historian Manuel Cuesta Morua said the Sandro phenomenon highlights “the distance between the grandchildren’s generations from the original revolution project.”

Sandro himself has acknowledged the contrast, noting that other family members “enjoyed their privileges discreetly.”

During Fidel Castro’s rule, little was publicly known about his second wife, Dalia Soto del Valle, or their five sons. Sandro’s father, Alexis Castro Soto del Valle, is one of them. The family lived in Punto Cero, a heavily guarded compound west of Havana.

Sandro first sparked backlash in 2021 when a leaked video showed him behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz. “We are simple, but sometimes we have to bring out these little toys at home,” he said in the clip, before issuing an apology after public outrage.

Now, three years later, he’s back in the spotlight — this time for celebrating his birthday with a neon-lit party at his own bar, dancing around tables as much of the country endured a blackout.

For many Cubans, the images serve as a bitter reminder of inequality and a legacy at odds with the sacrifices the Revolution once demanded.