Imagine being inside a house with no access to the outside world for 119 days and ultimately walking out with $200,000. That was the case for Dominican social media influencer Caramelo, who last night (June 2) won La Casa de Los Famosos: All Stars, becoming the first male winner in the reality show’s history.
Carlos “Caramelo” Cruz defied all odds to take home the grand prize. First of all, he’s a social media influencer who initially went viral after being featured on another TikToker’s feed. Before entering the house, he hadn’t ventured into the entertainment world and was working as a UPS driver in New York City.
His competition? Stars like Niurka Marcos, Laura Bozzo, Alfredo Adame, among others. But none of that stopped him from winning the hearts of millions across the nation.“I simply was myself and real.” He said excitedly. “That’s why I’m the winner and I’m here.” He explained that viewers could tell he had no hidden agenda and was there just to enjoy the experience. Something that made him feel authentic to his fans.
Caramelo went through many phases during his time inside the house. Especially on relationships with other housemates. One standout chapter was his close bond with Rey Grupero and Niurka Marcos. The trio dubbed themselves “The Three Musketeers.” But when Niurka was eliminated a few weeks ago, Remezcla asked her about the group’s fallout. Without hesitation, she blamed Manelyk González, a fellow contestant who had sparked a romance with Caramelo inside the house.
Niurka felt Manelyk was tearing the group apart so decided to vote her out, which caused tension between her, Rey, and Caramelo. So, naturally, we had to ask him his thoughts on all this drama,“The break up happened because it had to happen. There were a lot of things she did which we should’ve noticed earlier. But all that stayed in the house. I didn’t even remember it.” Clearly Caramelo is unbothered and has moved on.
But if there’s one thing he hasn’t moved on from, is his affection towards Manelyk.
He seemed very confident when confirming that the connection between them is still going strong. “Here, there, to the moon and beyond,” he said. Looks like the lovebug has bitten the Dominican reality star! While watching the live finale, we also noticed how Manelyk was all nervous and when Caramelo was pronounced the winner, she was one of the first to run and hug him. So it is safe to say, the chemistry is still alive.
Although “The Three Musketeers” are no more, his friendship with Rey Grupero endured until the end. Rey, who came in third place on the reality show, always expressed how he felt and he would always show admiration and support for his house bestie Caramelo. So what is next for their friendship? “Until the end of the world with Rey Grupero. I love him as if I birthed him,” Caramelo said with a big smile on his face.
Beyond the relationships, Caramelo is thinking practically. That’s especially true when it comes to his prize money. We asked if he had any plans for the $200,000, but he was quick to clarify “Right now, I just have work on my mind. I have the $200,000 frozen so I don’t waste it. I don’t want to go back to being poor.”
It is worth noting that Caramelo had strong support from last season’s winner, Maripily Rivera. Who would urge her Puerto Rican and Caribbean followers to constantly vote for him. Caramelo is well aware of how crucial that support was. He said, “You know Boris and Dominicans are siblings. Even part of my family is Boricua. To them, I love you all with all my heart. I will be there and want a hug.”
After 119 days, a new era of La Casa de Los Famosos has ended. So we will have to wait and see which stars will step into the iconic house next season, which is already confirmed by Telemundo.
