The Cuban actor Jorge Luis Pila did not shy away from controversy when discussing the political situation in Cuba during recent statements to the press in Mexico, a country where he will be temporarily residing to film a new telenovela.
At 53 years old, the renowned artist made it clear that his stance on the regime is firm and shaped by his personal experience.
"I only want Cuba to be free," he stated without hesitation when asked about the crisis the country is experiencing.
The actor recalled the painful process of emigration he experienced as a teenager.
"I was separated from my family when I was 17 years old. I left my home, my friends, everything," he recounted.
Unlike others who risked their lives at sea, Pila had the opportunity to leave by plane, something he recognizes as a privilege within a collective tragedy.
"Many went by raft, many died at sea, and that is not right. So it is a dictatorship that has oppressed my country for over 60 years, and it is time for it to end," he emphasized.
His connection to Cuba remains marked by distance and pain. He considers himself fortunate to have managed to bring his parents out of the country shortly after emigrating, but he has never returned to the Island.
"I will not return to that country until that dictatorship ends," he declared. Meanwhile, part of his family remains there, including uncles, a cousin, and his grandfather, whom he has not seen in person since his departure.
Regarding the current crisis the country is facing, the actor clarified that the situation has never been good.
"Cuba has always been in a bad state. I mean, since I was born, since I became aware of my surroundings, it has been hunger, misery, exploitation, lack of freedom; it's a disaster here. I don't know who could defend that," he emphasized.
"It could have been Las Vegas, in short. And it has turned into misery, into hunger, into people, separated families. It is very sad what has happened to Cuba," he added.
Despite the sacrifices, Pila assures that it was worth leaving everything behind to give her parents a better life: "I gave them a life (...) I put them in my backpack and I have them with me," she expressed.
The star of successful telenovelas such as "La Patrona" and "La casa de al lado" will begin filming a new telenovela in Mexico.
Pila, who had been living in Miami until now, explained that she decided to move to the Aztec country with her entire family. Although she will continue to travel to the United States for personal commitments—her daughter remains there—she revealed that she plans to stay in Mexican territory "for quite a while."
Born in Cuba in 1972, Jorge Luis Pila has built a solid international career after starting out as a dancer and model on the island. His journey in Mexico and the United States has made him one of the most recognized faces in Telemundo productions.
Now, from Mexico, he raises his voice again for Cuba, making it clear that, beyond his professional success, the issue of freedom in his homeland remains an open wound.
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