Juana Bacallao dies at 98

The popular Cuban singer Juana Bacallao died this Saturday morning at the age of 98, confirmed the Ministry of Culture.

Juana had been admitted to the Military Hospital since Monday. Carlos Juan Finlay of Havana, reported "very delicate."

"On behalf of the Ministry of Culture and its system of institutions, our deepest condolences go to his family, friends and admirers," the organization expressed.

On Friday, friends and relatives of the interpreter had to confront various rumors, some even spread by official sources, that announced her death.

"Juana is in the hospital very delicate, buthas not died. They spread the hoax last night of his death", Orlando Britto Jinorio clarified from Spain, after speaking with Armando Guerra Sarduy, the artist's representative and who has taken care of her in recent decades.

Hours later, several people came to the hospital where she was hospitalized to worry about her state of health, displays of affection that she was moved to appreciate.

This is what comedian Alexis Valdés, who also communicated with those close to Bacallao, communicated in a live broadcast.

"Several people went to see her at the hospital, she is talking, communicating", he explained, before detailing that "they are giving her a soft diet because she was very dehydrated and malnourished."

Known as the show-woman of Cuba, at the time of her admission the doctors assessed her with a "reserved prognosis" because she had a generalized infection.

"Juana was not feeling well at home and was taken to the hospital, whereShe was admitted and went to intermediate therapy. He did not eat or hydrate well and he did not have the necessary resources at home for the ailments of his advanced age," he toldCubaNet an official from the Culture sector who asked not to be identified.

Abandoned by the authorities of the Ministry of Culture, the elderly woman found herself in a situation of lack of protection.

The popular and versatile artist was born on May 26, 1925 in Havana. Her parents named herNeris Amelia Martinez Salazar, but Cubans and the entire world know her as Juana Bacallao.

Her artistic career began when she was a teenager. She never studied music and stated in several interviews that her gifts for dancing and singing were born with her.

He had a successful professional life of more than half a century. He stood out in the emblematic Tropicana cabaret and little by little became an icon of popular art in Cuba.