Dominican YouTuber traumatized after visit to communist Cuba

A YouTuber from the Dominican Republic ended up traumatized after visiting Cuba and coming to the conclusion it is “the largest prison in the world.” One has to wonder what he was expecting when he decided to visit the island. It’s not like the brutal oppression and misery suffered by the Cuban people for the last 65 years has been a secret. Nevertheless, it’s good to see he cured his ignorance of the reality of life in communist Cuba.

Via CiberCuba (my translation):

Dominican YouTuber comes back traumatized after a trip to Cuba: ‘The largest prison in the world’

A Dominican YouTuber returned traumatized from a trip to Cuba, where he visited marginalized neighborhoods and witnessed firsthand how the most vulnerable population on the island lives. Pablo José Rodríguez, who goes by the name Capricornio TV on social media, went to the Chicharrones neighborhood located south of the outskirts of Santiago de Cuba.

One of the things that impressed him the most there were the “bolillos,” an iron ball that people use for fighting or defending themselves against aggression. Approaching a group of young people playing cards for money in the middle of the street, they shamelessly admitted they all had this kind of makeshift weapon that inflicts significant harm when thrown.

“Everyone here has fought or been hit with it,” one of them stated.

Later, the YouTuber spoke with a man who claimed that he maintains order in the area through stabbings and machete attacks.

“If they don’t respect me, I just give them a beating,” he said.

Pablo José commented that he never thought he would see a favela like that in Cuba and pointed out that before criticizing the way of life of these young people, one must analyze how they were shaped.

“Maybe I had different opportunities than you did. And in the end, when there is no money or anything, this neighborhood becomes a concrete jungle where the strongest survive, the one who fights the most, the one who grabs a knife, and if you don’t kill, you get killed. That’s the reality,” he said.

“It’s not the same to cry because your dad didn’t buy you the latest iPhone as to cry alongside your father because they don’t have food. Before reproaching an action, let’s first prevent it. A country without opportunities is hell for those born in the wrong place,” he added.

This young Dominican, who identifies himself as the communicator of the underworld, made his journey accompanied by the Cuban artist named Flor.

He documented his tour of the neighborhood on his YouTube account, where he spoke with coffee, cigarette, and produce sellers, saw children playing in the street, and was surprised that, despite the crisis, the people remained cheerful.

“The underworld of Cuba. The largest prison in the world,” he emphasized.