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A routine campaign stop at a local Cuban bakery in South Florida has erupted into an explosive political controversy known as "PastelitoGate," exposing deep ideological, generational, and partisan rifts among Latino voters in Florida’s 27th Congressional District.
The controversy began on October 16, when U.S. House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Democratic congressional candidate Eliott Rodríguez for a campaign event at CAO Bakery & Café in Pinecrest, Miami. Owner Yvette Cao served the visitors a selection of Cuban coffee and guava pastries (pastelitos), prompting Rodríguez to post a video of the encounter on social media thanking the bakery for hosting them.
Within hours, however, the visit triggered an intense digital backlash across Spanish-language social media networks, drawing sharp attacks from conservative influencers, right-wing media news outlets, and incumbent Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar, who is seeking reelection in the same district.
Conservative media and right-wing commentators quickly accused CAO Bakery of "cobijar socialistas" (sheltering socialists), igniting online harassment and calls for a boycott.
Salazar capitalized on the moment, posting videos on social media criticizing Rodríguez for bringing Jeffries (whom she labeled the leader of "socialists in Congress") into a Cuban-American family business. In her publication, Salazar asserted that candidates who fail to reject socialism "clearly do not understand Miami."
Shortly after, Salazar posted photos from a campaign stop at rival chain Vicky Bakery, using the backdrop to promote her economic platform of "No tax on tips" and "No tax on overtime."
In response to rising outrage (and the fear of being digitally cancelled), CAO Bakery issued a public statement clarifying that hosting visiting political figures did not constitute an endorsement of any candidate, party, or ideology. The bakery explicitly reaffirmed its rejection of socialism and communism, expressed support for a free Cuba, and emphasized that it does not discriminate against patrons based on political beliefs.
Concurrently, rival chain Vicky Bakery (founded by relatives of the Cao family) then surfed the wave, publishing its own public statements distancing itself from CAO Bakery and asserting its anti-socialist stance. The battle between facilities sparked a parallel online feud between supporters of the two brand iterations.
Data collected by DDIA on platforms like X, YouTube, Facebook, and Bluesky during the last week revealed that Hispanic audiences reacted along three distinct narrative lines:
Hardline MAGA Outrage and Boycott Calls. Latino conservative commentators and right-wing activists framed CAO Bakery's reception of Democratic leaders as a betrayal of Miami's anti-communist Cuban exile heritage. Some bilingual social media users accused CAO of “going communist”, which would be (in their opinion) a reason to boycott the shop. Spanish-language media outlets including UniVista TV, America TeVe, and influencer Alex Otaola on Cubanos por el Mundo amplified claims that CAO Bakery was providing a platform to left-wing politicians, collecting comments aligned with hate and disrespect.
Pushback Against Intolerance and 'McCarthyism'. Progressive commentators, moderate Latinos, and Democratic leaders, on the other hand, strongly condemned the attacks, characterizing the boycott campaign as political censorship and local intolerance. Former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, for example, issued a widely circulated statement saying that it should be “an embarrassment to Miami that María Elvira Salazar would attack Hakeem Jeffries for simply stopping for Cuban coffee." In her opinion, the case had the potential to make “Miami look intolerant and ignorant."
Other social media accounts, like the Cuban-focused 23yFlagler on Youtube (108,000 followers), questioned what he thought was MAGA's double standards: "¿Se está intentando imponer en Miami una forma de pensar única, precisamente en nombre de la libertad?," after pointing out that Salazar herself had previously interviewed Fidel Castro.
Also on YouTube, independent Miami-based commentator Toscano Sin Filtro (27,000 followers) mocked the controversy: "¿Desde cuándo recibir a un político demócrata te convierte automáticamente en comunista? ¿Ahora hay que presentar un certificado de anticomunismo para vender una croqueta?
De-escalation and Community Grace. In the days following the initial uproar, however, some conservative figures who initially raised concerns called for de-escalation. Digital creator Josué Álvarez (71,000 followers on Instagram), who originally questioned the visit, posted a video message acknowledging statements from both bakeries and urging the community to extend grace: "I appreciate both businesses addressing the community, and I encourage everyone to extend them grace. My intention was never to harm Cuban-American family businesses... We can hold people accountable without forgetting the sacrifices and hard work behind what they've built."
