Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero has issued an official statement defending Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro (grandson of historic leader Raul Castro).
The reaction was sparked by revelations in American media about the grandson's secret negotiations with Washington and his luxurious lifestyle, which sparked a wave of discontent among the local public and the ranks of the Communist Party.
In a statement on the social network X, Prime Minister Marrero said that the negotiating team has the full trust, support and mandate of the highest state and party leadership. He described the criticism of nepotism as a “planned attempt to bring division“. The deputy head of the ideological department of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party, Elier Ramirez, also confirmed on Facebook the role of Raúl Guillermo as the legitimate representative of Cuba, accusing the United States of manipulation. However, Cuban state television journalist Michel Torres openly asked on social media whether it would be permissible for someone other than the Castro family to usurp public office without being elected by anyone.
The controversy coincided with another severe blow to Cuba's infrastructure. Cuba's national electricity company reported that the power grid had completely collapsed again, leaving nearly 10 million people without electricity. The director of electricity at the Cuban Ministry of Energy and Mines, Lázaro Guerra, admitted on state television that the acute fuel shortage was critically complicating the process of restoring power. Local residents in Havana and other cities took to the streets banging pots and pans in protest at the lack of electricity and water.