Unidentified individuals have toppled the white marble bust of General Antonio Maceo located in the park named after him in the city of Las Tunas, causing visible damage to various parts of its face.
The vandalistic act occurred early Sunday morning, and authorities indicated that the responsible individuals violently struck the sculpture, detached it from its pedestal, and caused it to fall to the ground, according to a report by the Periódico 26.
The bust remains under police custody while technical and forensic investigations are conducted to look for fingerprints, identify those responsible, and assess the extent of the damage, according to the Provincial Directorate of Culture and the Provincial Center for Cultural Heritage.
Both institutions described the work as a symbol of historical memory and the Cuban independentist spirit.
The sculpture will be delivered to the renowned visual artist Leonardo Fuentes Caballín, who will undertake its comprehensive restoration before it is placed back on the original pedestal.
Fuentes explained that the work will involve the reintegration of the damaged parts and the application of conservation treatments to ensure the durability of the piece.
The process will be carried out "with the utmost technical rigor and respect for the original work," he assured.
The Periódico 26 expressed its "deep indignation" and described the events as "an assault on the heritage and cultural identity of Las Tunas".
A specialist from the Office of Monuments and Historical Sites stated: "This bust not only represents Antonio Maceo, but also the dignity and respect that the Cuban people hold for their heroes. To attack it is to attack our history."
Local authorities reiterated their call to citizens to protect and respect cultural heritage, which is considered an essential pillar of national identity.
The restitution of the bust will take place during a public ceremony aimed at reaffirming the commitment of the Tunera community to the preservation of its historical and artistic legacy, although a date has not yet been announced.
The incident occurs amid other recent attacks against Cuban monuments. Unknown individuals stole one of the three bronze stars from the mausoleum of Major General Calixto García in Holguín, just hours before the anniversary of the birth of the independence hero.
According to the public complaint by historian Víctor Aguilera Nonell, he discovered the missing items himself when he went to the Plaza de la Revolución Mayor General Calixto García on Tuesday, August 4, to pay tribute to the one known as the General of the three wars.
"Unscrupulous hands stole the upper bronze star from the mausoleum where the remains of the distinguished patriot rest, one of the three stars located at the front of the burial niche," wrote on his Facebook profile the first vice president of the Union of Historians of Cuba in Holguín.
This Saturday, the Facebook page Ciudad de Matanzas en Fotos documented that a section of the metal railings of one of the bridges in Matanzas was ripped off and published images of the damage caused to the ornamental structure of historical style.
The photographs showed the affected section, one of the railings with a hexagonal and rhomboidal geometric design, in a bluish-gray color, with the removed section clearly visible.
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