Alina Fernández, the daughter of former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, has declined to directly deny long-running speculation that former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could be Castro’s son, reigniting a longstanding rumor that has circulated for years.
The comments were made during a NewsNation interview with host Katie Pavlich, who raised the issue directly.
“For years, we’ve heard rumors that Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister of Canada, could be your half-brother. What do you think of that?” Pavlich asked.
Fernández responded: “The only thing I can say is that his mother used to visit the country very often.”
When asked again whether she would address the claim more directly, Fernández said: “No, no, I won’t do it. If he wants, he’s gonna be welcome, but I won’t. I won’t. I think he keeps that to himself, and you have to respect that.”
The exchange immediately renewed attention on a theory that has circulated intermittently since 2016, suggesting a biological link between Castro and Trudeau. The claim has repeatedly been circulated alongside references to perceived physical resemblance and historical interactions between the Trudeau family and Castro.
Justin Trudeau is the alleged son of former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau. Public records and prior reporting suggest that Margaret Trudeau met Fidel Castro during an official visit to Cuba in 1976, several years after Justin Trudeau was born in 1971.
Margaret Trudeau has also previously written about relationships with various public figures in her memoir Consequences, which has at times been cited in online discussions surrounding the rumor.
Fact-checking organizations and historical reporting have consistently stated there is no solid evidence supporting the claim that Fidel Castro is Justin Trudeau’s biological father. They note there is no documentation indicating any meeting between Castro and Margaret Trudeau prior to Justin Trudeau’s birth.
Photographs from the 1976 visit show Fidel Castro meeting Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau during an official diplomatic trip to Havana.
