In 2003, one of the most viral moments of the Hispanic internet happened, a stunt that, to this day, remains unmatched. Two Miami Radio hosts, Enrique Santos and Joe Ferrero from the popular radio show "El Vacilón de la mañana," pulled the biggest phone prank in the history of the world when they decided to call Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.

 

In January 2003, using some clips taken from a call of Fidel to Vicente Fox, they called the Miraflores Palace in Venezuela to reach President Hugo Chávez. In the call, they used a woman pretending to be an assistant of the Cuban presidency, and while pretending to represent Fidel for an urgent call, they got the private phone number of Hugo Chávez. During the call, they utilized nonsensical audio clips and feigned connection issues to keep Chávez on the line, systematically breaking down his guard. When they had enough, they broke character and told Chavez they were calling him from Miami and that he was live on air, told him to get the fuck out of Venezuela, called him a murderer and a shithead.

 

 

The call exploded, people couldn't believe it, international media went nuts reporting on how poor Chavez's communications were, the presidency sent a formal letter of complaint to the government of the US, and Enrique and Joe? 3-day suspension, no pay, pretty much just a slap on the wrist. But they haven't finished yet.

 

Come July 2003. After people stopped talking about the situation and the War of Iraq went harder by the day, one day out of the blue, they decided to close the chapter and now call Castro. Using the soundbites they got from Chavez's call, they pretended they were members of the secretary of the presidency calling concerning some luggage and documents. Using the same tricks but with more experience and finesse, they managed to trick the old Dictator into engaging in conversation. Once the timing was right, Joe went off on him and asked if he was happy with all the shit he did to the Island, which prompted Castro to get mad and call him a comemierda (shit eater), a mariconsón (huge faggot), and to tell him to go fuck himself (vete al coño de tu madre)

 

 

The consequences didn't wait. The FCC later fined the radio station regarding the prank call to Fidel Castro, as it involved the recording of a conversation without the consent of the other party, the DJs accepted and paid the fine in Pennies. To avoid further repercussions, the station accepted the pennies, paid the fine, and subsequently donated the total to charity.

 

Ultimately, the prank wasn't just a viral moment enclosed in the context of merchandise and entertainment. It was using humor as a weapon to spit in the face of power. It was a cathartic experience for the hosts, a way to confront the men responsible for their exile. Beyond that, it was a moment of profound solidarity. Cubans and Venezuelans have always shared deep cultural and historical ties; for these hosts, calling Chávez a 'piece of shit' wasn't just about going viral. It was a signal to Venezuelans that from Miami, people were watching, seeing through the facade, and using humor as a weapon to speak truth to power.