Andy Ernesto Vázquez Toirac is a Cuban comedian born in 1975 in Baracoa, Guantánamo, Cuba.
At 14 years old, she appeared in the telenovela Prefiero las rosas by Raúl Pérez Sánchez. She later made several appearances on popular Cuban television shows such as Tras la huella, Jura decir la verdad, and No quiero llanto. She also participated as a judge on the well-known humorous program on the island, Los amigos de Pepito.
Andy Vázquez's opportunity came with his inclusion in the popular and notable comedy show Vivir del Cuento. His ability to portray such diverse characters as Facundo Correcto, Ángel Bueno (Aguaje), and Bienvenido Blanco Blanco earned him great popularity among the Cuban audience, establishing him as one of the leading comedians in the Cuban repertoire.
Along with the cast of Vivir del Cuento, he received several awards in Cuba at various festivals such as Aquelarre (2002), the Television Festival (2013), the Caricato Award for Acting, and the Barrio Award, both in 2014, among others.
In 2016, as a result of his visit to Cuba, the President of the United States, Barack Obama, took part in a sketch with the main actors of "Vivir del Cuento" in which he plays a game of dominoes with Pánfilo and Chequera.
In 2019, Andy made headlines after being excluded from the cast of Vivir del Cuento and was suspended by the authorities of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT). The incident was motivated by the alleged repercussions within Cuba of the material titled "Las Chivate-rías de Facundo," where the character stated that the government would reintroduce the basic, non-basic, and directed policy that was used in Cuban stores to regulate products in the early decades of Fidel Castro's revolution.
"Each resident of Havana will be required to go to the Cuatro Caminos market once a month and will be allowed to buy one of each product. The basic product is a meat item, and they can choose between chicken, pork, or lamb; the non-basic allows for either a detergent, a floor blanket, or a tomato puree; and the designated category includes asparagus, flavoring, and fabric softener," he said.
The criticism was prompted by the incidents that occurred with the reopening of the popular Havana market Cuatro Caminos and the subsequent damages caused following its inauguration by a group of people who gathered there to shop.
Facundo's material displeased the authorities, and the artist was expelled from the popular television comedy.
In December 2019, he traveled to Miami, and although he initially suggested that he would return to the island, where his fans were urging for a second chance on the television show Vivir del Cuento, the comedian ultimately decided to stay.
A partir de ese momento Andy Vázquez tuvo quedealing with numerous threats made from the island así como con el desprecio y las ofensas propias de los medios oficiales cubanos.The Ministry of Education (MINED) wrote in February 2020 el tuit “¿Andy Vázquez un cívico incomprendido?, no jodan, a otro con ese cuento". In August 2020, the government-affiliated journalist Jesús Álvarez López referred to the comedian and other Cuban artists as "victims of weak legs."”.
To the characters he already brought to life in Cuba, Andy has added Lina la Javá, who is the most popular, and Amore H "La Calentica," among others, making him one of the most beloved comedians in Miami for his artistic versatility.
