While Cuban farmers go without pay and the resources necessary to grow food, a Cuban YouTuber has exposed a private farm for the breeding of exotic animals owned by the family of Revolutionary commander Guillermo Garcia Frias. The farm is not there to alleviate the food shortages on the island, but to benefit the Garcia Frias family, whose patriarch is part of the Castro family dictatorship’s inner circle.
Via Periodico Cubano (my translation):
Darwin releases video of Guillermo Garcia Frias’ grandson’s farm
Cuban YouTuber and activist Darwin Santana has released a video in which he denounces alleged illegal activities at the Tamayo farm, owned by Jorge Alejandro Cárdenas García, grandson of Commander Guillermo García Frías, who became known for his comments on ostrich and hutia meat.
In his YouTube channel, El Mundo de Darwin, Santana shares satellite images and exclusive videos of the farm, located near the University of Information Sciences (UCI) on the outskirts of Havana. The property’s perimeter is enclosed by a concrete wall over two meters high, preventing any view of the interior—something Santana claims is illegal in Cuba.
The farm is used to raise exotic animals like ostriches, which, according to him, exclusively benefit the García Frías family. The land also includes a plot where marijuana might be cultivated, allegedly under instructions from Guillermo García Frías himself, who reportedly had contact in his youth with growers of this plant, known for its psychoactive compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
The Cuban YouTuber, who resides in Canada, explains the García family’s ties to businesses in Miami, where they own a property valued at $1.8 million. Darwin connects these revenues to the Cuban organization Flora and Fauna, controlled by García Frías, which allegedly participates in selling food packages that Cubans abroad can buy to support their relatives on the island.
According to the activist, this practice diverts resources intended for the Cuban population, adding to accusations of illicit enrichment by the family.
The Tamayo farm is also reportedly used for private activities like cockfighting and other exclusive events. Darwin suggests that there is police complicity, as authorities are aware but do not intervene because the business is linked to people close to those in power.
Another venture mentioned is a guesthouse in Havana called “El Diamante,” an exclusive site for individuals selected by the García Frías family. The two-story guesthouse, with 11 rooms, offers bar and restaurant services and is reportedly off-limits to ordinary citizens. According to Darwin, the clientele consists solely of the García family’s inner circle, reinforcing accusations of privilege and opulence within Cuba’s upper echelons.
He looks embalmed, and he’s no more military than I am. But, as a “historic” figure, he’s lived VERY well since 1959 (though he was reportedly involved in marijuana peddling before that, as in very marginal).