The daughter of Cuban actor Carlos Mazzola revealed on Wednesday that they waited seven hours for a funeral car to arrive and transport her father's body.
In a desperate Facebook post, she expressed confusion and frustration over the delay. Her father passed away early Wednesday morning in their home in Havana, and by 5:00 PM, the funeral car still hadn't arrived. Despite the delay, the regime was quick to set up surveillance around the actor's building. In recent years, Mazzola had become a vocal critic of the government and a defender of Cuban citizens' rights.
Agents from the State Security were stationed outside the building from early on but did not facilitate the transport of the body. "This is the saddest and most shameful thing a family can experience with a deceased loved one. It took seven hours for Carlos Mazzola's body to be picked up. His daughter had to plead for help on social media—it's disgraceful. The funeral services in this country are utterly incapable of doing a decent job," criticized Cuban activist Yamilka Lafitta, known online as Lara Crofs.
The actor's death shocked the Cuban artistic community both inside and outside the island. Diego Lázaro García Espinosa, a friend of the deceased, went through several steps related to the actor's death, including visiting the Infanta funeral home only to find it closed, and then being redirected to the Zanja funeral home. There, he was informed that no funeral cars were available to transport the body to the chapel and that the service would be delayed.
García requested assistance from the firefighters to help move Mazzola's body from the building due to its size, but they replied they would only do so once the funeral car arrived. Mazzola's mother expressed that her greatest wish was for the body to be taken away so she could sit down and process everything that had happened, having waited with her son since the early morning hours.
The Cuban actor passed away in Havana at the age of 62. Besides his acting talent, Mazzola was known in recent years for his harsh criticism of the Cuban regime, which responded by censoring him.
Key Questions About the Delay in Funeral Services for Carlos Mazzola
The delay in funeral services for Carlos Mazzola has raised several questions and concerns. Here, we address some of the most pressing issues surrounding the incident.
Why did it take seven hours for the funeral car to arrive?
According to reports, there was a lack of available funeral cars and delays in service, which contributed to the seven-hour wait.
Did the government intervene in the funeral arrangements?
While the government did not facilitate the transport of the body, State Security agents were stationed outside the actor's building, possibly due to his critical stance against the regime.
What impact has this incident had on the Cuban community?
The incident has sparked outrage and criticism regarding the inefficiency of funeral services in Cuba, highlighting the struggles faced by citizens even in times of mourning.