Díaz-Canel reacts to the death of Tomasita Quiala: "She moved us with her verses and profound love for the homeland."

The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel reacted to the death of the renowned oral poet Juana Tomasa Quiala Rojas, who passed away this Thursday at the age of 63 due to cardiac complications.

"Very shocked by the passing of our beloved Tomasita Quiala, a true Cuban who always moved us with her décimas and deep love for her country. In this difficult time, I send a hug to her family, her friends, and her colleagues in Cuban improvisational poetry," he said on X.

The figure of Tomasita Quiala, regarded as the "Queen of Repentismo in Cuba," was for decades a symbol of popular talent and rural culture on the Island.

Blind from birth, his career was defined by a masterful command of the décima and a total dedication to improvised art. However, it was also marked by an open loyalty to the Cuban regime, which he publicly supported on multiple occasions.

However, neither that unconditional support nor his cultural prominence was enough to prevent family and friends, during a recent hospital stay, from having to appeal to the kindness of strangers to secure medication for him, due to the chronic shortages in the healthcare system.

Support for the regime, not always rewarded

Tomasita Quiala was an iconic figure of improvisational poetry in Cuba for decades.

Her exceptional mastery of the décima, her charisma, and her active role in promoting rural culture brought her to national and international stages. She was awarded the National Community Culture Prize and became a familiar face on shows like "Palmas y Cañas."

Additionally, his open and continuous support for the Cuban regime ensured him a prominent position within the official cultural apparatus.

But last April, during her admission to the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital for heart surgery, her case highlighted a painful contradiction: despite her closeness to power, she needed public appeals on the Internet to obtain essential medications such as Brotamine Sulfate and anticoagulants like Nadroparin or Enoxaparin, which are crucial for her postoperative treatment.

Groups like the Association of Cubans Residents in Canada called for civic assistance to address the shortage of supplies, appealing to the solidarity of the people when the institutional system failed.

An ending that reflects the state of the nation

The death of Tomasita Quiala marks the end of a remarkable artistic career, but it also highlights the tragedy of a country where even the most devoted artists to the establishment are not safe from neglect.

Their case adds to that of other intellectuals and creators who, after years of supporting the regime, have had to rely on informal networks to obtain basic medical care.

In March, after suffering a heart attack, she was hospitalized for several days in the Intensive Care Unit of Leopoldito Martínez Hospital in San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque.

She was finally discharged. The news of her recovery was confirmed by the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel, who expressed his happiness through the social network X.

Cultural legacy between light and shadows

Born in Banes, Holguín, in 1961 and blind from birth, Tomasita Quiala built a unique career in the realm of poetic orality. She was a woman of the stage, a brilliant improviser who embodied the tradition of rural repentismo like few other artists.

However, her closeness to political power also placed her in an ambiguous position: she was celebrated as a symbol of "cultural patriotism," but did not escape the consequences of a crumbling system that does not protect even its loyal supporters.

Beyond any political affiliation, her talent was genuine and her contribution to the heritage undeniable. Her passing deeply challenges a society that fails to protect even its most ardent defenders.

Frequently asked questions about the death of Tomasita Quiala and her relationship with the Cuban regime