The Cuban regime ignores the death of actor Carlos Massola.

The death of actor Carlos Massola, who in recent years raised his voice on numerous occasions against the Cuban government, has been completely ignored by Culture authorities in the last few hours.

So far, no official Cuban cultural institution has echoed the actor's death on their social media profiles.

Neither the Writers and Artists Union of Cuba (UNEAC), nor the Ministry of Culture (MINCULT), nor the Cuban Radio and Television Institute (ICRT), nor the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC) have spoken out about the artist's death.

Neither have cultural news programs on television nor the print press made any reference to the unfortunate event.

In addition to that institutional silence, few artists residing in the country have expressed their regret on social media about the actor's death. Among them are musicians like Lázarito Valdés and actors such as Alejandro Cuervo, Blanca Rosa Blanco, and Ulises Toirac.

This Thursday it was reported that the mortal remains of the actor have been cremated as per his wishes, according to CubaNet citing family sources. After a seven-hour wait for the hearse, around four in the afternoon this Wednesday, the artist's body was removed from his home in the municipality of Cerro with the help of firefighters and taken to the Bernardo García funeral home, located on Zanja Street.

The popular actor passed away at his home in the early hours of July 3rd. Around 9:00 a.m. that day, a family doctor who approached the residence certified that Massola died of hypovolemic shock. In other words, of "an emergency condition in which severe blood loss or other fluid loss causes the heart to be unable to pump enough blood to the body," and can cause many organs to stop functioning.

Carlos Massola, a critical voice against the regime.

In recent years, Massola did not hesitate to repeatedly attack the government, which he accused on multiple occasions of inefficiency, corruption, and incompetence, highlighting the indifference of its officials, human rights violations, and repression of freedoms in Cuba.

"There is no food, everything is a lie," he claimed back in July 2020, when the pandemic was wreaking havoc among Cubans.

"This dictatorship cannot continue beyond this year," he declared in March of this year, when he voiced his support for the protesters who took to the streets in Santiago de Cuba and other cities to demand freedom and basic human rights.

In an exclusive interview with CubaNet, Massola then positioned himself alongside Cubans who are tired of "so much disgrace, so much crap, and so much misery," he said.

In December, after watching the film Plantadas, inspired by the story of the women who suffered imprisonment for opposing Fidel Castro's regime, she stated that one day the Cuban dictatorship "will fall."

Months earlier, he had made harsh statements in which he positioned himself against Cuban artists whom he considers "accomplices of the dictatorship."

He said that many Cuban actors and musicians "walk the red carpet" of the regime, thinking that will make them popular, but all they achieve is "supporting the prevailing dictatorship" in the country.

Due to his constant criticism of the reality in Cuba and strong denunciations against the regime, Massola was censored and sidelined, even by his cousin, the presenter and actress Edith Massola.

In view of such a track record in terms of freedom of expression, it is not surprising the treatment that the government in Cuba has given Massola.

However, in the last few hours, the deceased actor has not lacked the spontaneous tribute from many of his colleagues, as well as the massive gratitude from thousands of Cubans who appreciate that he had the courage to speak from within, clearly, and loudly.

Rest in peace, Carlos.