‘All Animals Are Equal, But Some More Than Others’: Communist Dictator Castro’s Grandson Under Fire For Flaunting Opulent Lifestyle

Tony Castro Ulloa, the grandson of deceased former Cuban communist dictator, Fidel Castro, recently waded into a controversy by posting pictures, on a private Instagram account, of his opulent lifestyle, including frequent trips to exotic locations across the globe, driving super luxury cars, sailing on super-yachts, and dining at exorbitantly expensive restaurants, Miami Herald has reported.

Tony is son of Fidel’s son, Antonio Castro Soto del Valle who is an orthopedic surgeon and baseball coach. Tony is reportedly a fashion model.

In 2015, Antonio himself faced widespread criticism, after photos emerged of him in Turkish media, cruising the Aegean Sea on his super luxury 160 foot yacht with a contingent of friends and several bodyguards. The photos of his stay at a 5-star hotel in the city of Bodrum, Turkey, where Antonio Castro rented 5 suites for him and his friends, came in for criticism even in Cuba.

According to the Mimai Herald report, Tony posted several pictures of his vacations on the Maya Riviera, his visit to the Basilica of the Sacred Family in Barcelona, posing with a BMW car, savouring expensive meals and a tour aboard a yacht.

The photos predictably sparked an outrage on social media after they were published by various South Florida media outlets. His luxurious lifestyle invited scathing criticism from many Cubans immigrants, who point out that most Cubans live on an average salary of $30 a month and rationed food. South Florida is home to thousands of Cuban migrants who fled due to fear of widespread reprisals after the communist takeover led by Fidel Castro in the late 1950s-1970s. Thousand of Cubans also subsequently continued to emigrate due to economic hardships.

“All the animals are equal, but some are more equal than others,” an angry Pedro Pérez wrote on his Facebook page, quoting from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” book, a withering critique of totalitarian systems. The book is banned in Cuba. Another post by José González stated: “Just like the son of Che (Guevara), whose company rents luxury motorcycles to tourists. Who pays for this?” González urged others to share the images with social media users within the island to expose the hypocrisy of Castro family.

First implemented by Castro in 1962, Cuba has a food ration system in vogue till this day that most Cuban families have to use for their food intake.

Last month, Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, conceded to a nationwide shortage of bread, eggs, and other essential goods, but blamed it on the impact of US embargo which, he claimed, has been strengthened under the Trump administration.