French TV Mocks Raul Castro’s Grandson/Bodyguard

and Cuba’s Official Press in Paris

By Ivette Leyva Martinez  (Café Fuerte)

HAVANA TIMES — The clumsiness of Raul Castro’s grandson and chief escort during the leader’s recent official visit to France did not go unnoticed by the French press.

Yann Barthes, host of the French television program Le Petit Journal de Canal + since 2004, dedicated a broad segment of the show aired Wednesday to the visit of 84-year-old Castro, whom he described as “our favorite dictator.” The Cuban president returned to Havana on the afternoon of Wednesday.

Barthes and his crew focused on the work of Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, alias “El Cangrejo” (“The Crab”). In his lampoon show, Barthes referred to the bodyguard ironically as “Raulito” and described him as a “disturbing element,” suggesting he learn “good manners and etiquette,” either separately or simultaneously.

Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro is the son of Deborah Castro Espin and Brigadier General Luis Alberto Rodriguez Lopez Callejas, who for decades was in charge of military businesses.

The show aired images illustrating the bodyguard’s numerous clumsy actions.

Raulito’s Meddling

Hours after arriving in France, on Monday, February 1, while Raul Castro walked next to his host, President Francois Hollande and Segolene Royal, member of the socialist party and minister for the environment, “Raulito” stepped in between Royal and his grandfather, zigzagging his way between the two during the ceremonial inspection of the troops.

On a different occasion, inside the Élysée Palace, after President Hollande concluded a press conference, “Raulito” refused to leave his grandfather’s side, even when the latter went to sit next to Hollande during the State dinner offered him.

During the signing of bilateral agreements, the bodyguard almost stumbled onto the French president.

Something similar occurred during an official photograph and handshake with Hollande: “Raulito” remained so close to the French president and his grandfather that the professional photographers set up to take the picture asked him to move away.

At the Matignon Palace, where Raul Castro was received by First Minister Manuel Valls, a similar scene unfolded on the steps of the palace, when the bodyguard’s proximity to the leader delayed the official photo for a number of seconds.

Hollande Calls a Halt

At the headquarters of the French National Assembly, when Castro was received by parliamentary president Claude Bartolone, the leader’s grandson and bodyguard did another number, disobeying an order from the republican guard who asked him to stop. “The Crab” went behind the guard’s back, hastened his pace to a near-trot and proceeded to head up the steps next to his grandfather.

In footage captured by Reuters, we can clearly see the moment in which the bodyguard approaches Hollande and Castro, almost trotting, and the French president turns around, asking him to stop with a hand gesture. This episode was edited out of the coverage showing the two leaders enter the Élysée Palace, aired by Cuba’s national TV news.

This was the only occasion in which “The Crab” obeyed his hosts and, not knowing what to do with himself, stood to the right of the palace guards.

According to Barthes, the bodyguard’s meddling forced Hollande to act like a member of the security services.

The numerous incidents led the Canal + host to the same conclusion many of us reached: that “Raulito” doesn’t give a damn about French protocol.

Misrepresentation and Treatment of the Press

Other curious details of Castro’s visit weren’t lost on the observant journalists of Canal +. For instance, after reporter Hugo Clement asked Castro, out on the street and in a loud tone of voice, when Cubans would be allowed to hold free elections, he began to be closely followed by Cuba’s security apparatus.

The journalist taped the security agent who was filming him from inside the Paris City Hall and noted how one of Castro’s alleged official photographers was in fact a member of his protective detail. This same individual kept Clement from joining the rest of the press during part of the visit.

Canal + also took note of a deliberate act of misrepresentation by Cuban television.

In a report by Boris Fuentes, aired by Cuban television on January 29, several people were interviewed on Paris’ renowned Champs Elysees avenue. The report included declarations from two sympathizers of the Castro regime, as though interviewed in the same location. Canal + identified them as members of a pro-Cuba organization.

The interview was actually filmed near the Cuban embassy and not the Champs Elysees, as the report claimed.

Two of the sympathizers interviewed were seen in the front row during official functions with the Cuban delegation held at Paris city hall and were confronted by Clement.