The Cuban Crab That Walks Forward
HAVANA TIMES – Everyone knows crabs don’t walk forward, but clearly, we’re not talking about crustaceans here—we’re talking about another kind with only two legs, one of the most influential figures in Cuba today.
This is Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, better known by his nickname “El Cangrejo” (The Crab), grandson of Raul Castro, as well as the head of his security team and personal advisor.
Although the economic and social situation in Cuba is alarming from every possible perspective, this character lives in luxury and can break the law as he pleases, with the complicit silence of Miguel Diaz-Canel—the handpicked president—who knows very well the limits of his own power.
El Cangrejo is the son of Raul’s eldest daughter (Debora Castro Espín) and Luis Alberto Rodriguez Lopez-Callejas, who died on July 1, 2022. Rodríguez Lopez-Callejas was the regime’s strongman in the shadows, managing the most important foreign currency businesses under the umbrella of the GAESA military conglomerate.
As expected, Raul Guillermo is part of an elite that lives in comfort, but his reality might change after the arrest this week of one of his close friends, with whom he ran money laundering operations through a shipping company to Cuba.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) detained Jorge Javier Rodrígiez Cabrera this past Monday in Las Vegas. He is a former official linked to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) and a personal friend of El Cangrejo.
He took part in diplomatic tours as part of the MINREX delegation and was photographed alongside Raul Castro and his grandson during the Cuban government’s official visit to the United States in 2015, for example.
Rodriguez Cabrera, 40, had close ties with the upper echelons of power on the island, and after leaving the country, entered the United States through the southern border in 2022 requesting political asylum, as if he were being persecuted.
After settling in Las Vegas, he worked in small local businesses and as a pool cleaner. Then, seemingly overnight in November 2024, he registered Gran Azul LLC, a company offering door-to-door shipping, logistics, car sales, food, and travel packages to Cuba.
Besides the fact that it’s an open secret that nearly all these businesses (if not all) are tied to regime interests, it’s impossible that he could have raised the funds to launch this venture based on what he earned in his previous modest jobs.
His company has been widely promoted by public figures in the Cuban exile community (actors, influencers, singers, etc.), which has sparked criticism in recent days following the revelation of his background.
According to official Nevada state documents, he is the manager of the company, giving him legal authority over operations. But after his arrest, he was placed in expedited removal proceedings, which means he could soon be deported to Cuba—jeopardizing his friend El Cangrejo’s business.
Unlike Fidel’s influencer grandson Sandro, Raul Castro’s presumed favorite grandson is not active on social media, but he hasn’t hesitated to flaunt his wealth on many occasions. Numerous photos published by independent or foreign outlets show him at luxurious weddings, as a VIP guest at concerts, enjoying gourmet meals, and taking yacht trips.
What stands out the most, however, are the lucrative businesses he’s involved in—some well-known on the island, like restaurants and rental properties, and now this newly uncovered scheme.
At just 30 years old, “El Cangrejo” holds the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Ministry of the Interior. More importantly, through his privileged position, he has amassed properties and managed multimillion-dollar businesses financed with public funds.
According to anonymous reports, he acquired properties from citizens who left the country, renovated them using state resources, and now rents them to wealthy foreigners.
His impunity was made evident when his violent assault on Yudelky Peña Fonseca was completely hushed. She and one of her three children suffered severe injuries.
She had to undergo multiple surgeries, including the removal of part of her liver, a kidney, and her spleen. In return, she was given a pension of about five thousand Cuban pesos—which is currently worth very little, considering a carton of eggs costs nearly three thousand.
She was also promised two full-time nurses, one for her and one for her children, but that never materialized. Her silence only helped El Cangrejo continue his lavish lifestyle without worry.
She now bears visible surgical scars across her body, while her attacker drinks whiskey and sips champagne whenever he pleases.
Still, what happened this week might be the tip of the iceberg that melts away the Castro clan’s shady dealings and worsens the internal power struggle in the country. The rest of the ruling elite is not too fond of public exposure, after decades during which no one even knew Punto Cero (Fidel Castro’s family bunker) existed, or how many children Fidel had, or anything of the sort.
Fidel’s grandson Sandro and Raul Guillermo exemplify the complete discredit into which the ruling family has fallen, and if this situation escalates, there may be behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Let’s remember that just a week ago, the age cap (60 years) for presidential eligibility in Cuba was eliminated—and in this country, nothing happens by chance.