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The death of Cuban actor Jorge Losada Moreno, which occurred this Sunday in Havana at the age of 92, sparked a wave of tributes on social media from figures in Cuban arts, research, and journalism, who bid farewell to him with pain and admiration.
Losada passed away after a prolonged illness. His death was confirmed by the National Council of Performing Arts (CNAE), which described him as an "indispensable figure in the Cuban scene" and stated that his work "will remain an essential part of the cultural heritage" of the nation.
The journalist Wilfredo Cancio Isla referred to the actor as "a pillar of humanity" and evoked his "exceptional human condition." "He was a straightforward person, the kind for whom obstacles are achievable challenges and difficulties are faced with a good attitude; someone who was a blessing to have on a work team or during a gathering with friends, due to his good vibes and positive spirit," Cancio Isla wrote on Facebook.
He also highlighted the strength with which Losada faced his final years: "His love for life and for his fellow human beings was the lifeblood that allowed him to extend his existence, against all medical predictions, beyond all expectations, overcoming extreme hardships and the proverbial neglect of the Cuban times that loom over us."
"If anything characterized his time in theater, film, and television —Cancio emphasized— it was the versatility of his acting talent, whether interpreting a dense drama or engaging in the most hilarious comedy, a genre in which he created memorable scenes. He also mentioned his willingness to collaborate on the most diverse projects, including those of young creators involved in independent productions."
The researcher and musicologist Rosa Marquetti Torres expressed her sorrow from afar: "What a pain to say goodbye from afar, my dear Losy. [...] May my reverence reach you on your eternal journey, to the friend, to the actor."
The National Music Award Bobby Carcassés, in a comment on Marquetti's post, also bid him farewell with affection: "A tremendous artist, person, friend, and Cuban. We have many beautiful memories of your performances filled with life and humor. Cubans and people from other countries will always remember you, with the same love that you gave us."
Meanwhile, filmmaker Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti expressed his sorrow with a brief but heartfelt "I am so very sorry," while film critic Frank Eduardo Padrón Nodarse described him as "a great person and an outstanding professional."
Several people who expressed their sorrow over the actor's passing pointed out the abandonment he experienced in his final years. The journalist and radio producer Juan Carlos Roque, who recalled interviewing him for Radio Nederland, lamented that Losada "reached the end of his days in a precarious situation and with a shortage of medicine."
This reality had been documented in the preceding months: in May 2025 he needed blood donations, a commode chair, and solidarity assistance. In August of that year, he experienced a medical emergency that necessitated his urgent transfer to the Calixto García Hospital; and just on March 15, 2026, weeks before his death, his friend Luis Lacosta, the art director of ICAIC, urgently requested food, medical transportation, and money due to the lack of state support.
Losada was born on December 4, 1933, and began his career as a declaimer on Radio Mambí in the 1950s. He made his film debut with the historic Soviet-Cuban co-production Soy Cuba (1964), directed by Mijaíl Kalatozov, and accumulated a filmography of over 20 titles that includes Guantanamera (1995), the last film by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, and El cuerno de la abundancia (2008), by Juan Carlos Tabío. In theater, he starred in more than 60 plays and received the Best Actor Award from UNEAC in 1987 for "El caballero de Pogolotti." His last television appearance was in the telenovela Renacer (2023), in celebration of his 90th birthday.
Cancio Isla concluded his tribute by recalling the kindness that defined the actor until the end: "Without pretension, with a simplicity that disarmed, something that seems to be a virtue definitely absent from our contemporary reality"; and he expressed gratitude for his "genuine contribution to Cuban culture and sentiment."
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