Irol Sánchez, the ideologue of the Cuban dictatorship’s propaganda apparatus, has died.

Iroel Sánchez Espinosa passed away this Thursday afternoon at the age of 58 in Havana, Cuba. Sánchez was considered the ideologue of the Cuban dictatorship’s propaganda apparatus. In the island he is recognized as a journalist, political analyst, writer, editor and audiovisual producer.

“Today the Cuban revolution has lost a son who devoted himself and the socialist ideal to his last energy.. As an indefatigable intellectual, Irol Sánchez leaves behind a great and valuable body of work and the model of a consummate revolutionary. Heartfelt hugs to family, colleagues and friends,” the dictator wrote on his Twitter account. Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Sánchez Espinosa directed the April Publishing House and was president of the Cuban Book Institute and the organizing committee of the Havana International Book Fair.

Sánchez Espinosa “was one of the founders of the digital culture magazine La Jiribilla and actively participated in the creation of a network of intellectuals, artists and social activists in defense of humanity,” according to the Cuban Ministry of Culture and Communications.

From the various media apparatuses and institutions of the dictatorship, Iroel Sánchez is an essential part of controlling “thoughts in networks” from the Internet.

In his books published on the Internet or in his TV show La Pupila Asombrada, Sánchez attacked any political or intellectual activist who questioned the Cuban dictatorship.

Due to his key role in the Castro dictatorship’s propaganda and censorship apparatus, in 2017 he was included in the list of “Cuban oppressors” by the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FDHC), which considered him an asset. “Cooperator of Section 3 of the Counterintelligence of the Ministry of the Interior, in charge of monitoring the culture, arts and education sector in Cuba”.

Unior García Aguilera, a Cuban playwright persecuted by the Cuban dictatorship, pointed to Sánchez’s tactics against dissent on Twitter.

“Castroist Taliban Irol Sánchez, one of the most notorious ideologues and architects of repression and censorship in Cuba, has died.. “Irol was hated by the majority of intellectuals and cultural figures who were still sympathetic to the regime,” García Aguilera said.

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