Actor Roque Moreno settles in Castilla y León as part of the Arraigo Project

June 12, 2023

One of the two Cuban emigrants who arrived last Thursday in Spain as part of the Arraigo Project, which seeks to increase the population in areas of the autonomous community of Castilla y León threatened by depopulation, was the well-known actor Juan Carlos Roque Moreno, known as Roque Moreno.

Upon arriving in the town of Paredes de Nava, in the municipality of Palencia, the interpreter of Cuban theater, film, and television told the media outlet Cadena SER that he trusts that the rest of his family will be able to reunite with him soon, because they want to start a new life project that ensures a better future for the younger generations.

The arrival of 18 Cubans to the towns of Lubián, El Puente, Puebla de Sanabria, and Toro, located in the municipality of Zamora, in Spain, allowed for the continuation of the functioning of a school that was about to close in that territory, burdened by depopulation.

According to Diario de Cuba, the digital media outlet Zamora Ya reported that the arrival on Friday of the emigrants from the Island, along with several Argentines, took place after the families joined the Reto Zamora program three months ago, which invites Latin American citizens with Zamoran roots to return to the land of their ancestors to start their life project in depopulated territories.

Roque Moreno, known for his outstanding career in Cuban television, theater, and film, is currently in the town of Paredes de Nava, in the municipality of Palencia. Along with him, three families of Cubans with Spanish nationality arrived as part of this repopulation program that seeks to settle descendants of Castilians and Leonese in agricultural villages.

Despite having studied and practiced medicine for years, Roque Moreno decided to dedicate himself to his true passion, acting. In an interview with the program "Hoy por Hoy" on the Ser network, he expressed his hope that the rest of his family could join him in Castilla, since his goal is to start a new life project that provides a better future for the younger generations.

Roque Moreno stated: "In a way it's like closing the circle that our ancestors started, who made the same journey but in reverse, from Castilla to Cuba to seek a better future."

With optimism, the actor expressed his intention to seek work as soon as possible, taking advantage of his experience as a nurse, doctor, and actor. According to Ser, Roque Moreno and his compatriot Sandy Rabanillo were among the first Cubans to arrive in Paredes de Nava and registered in the municipal register on Friday itself.

According to the network, in the coming months more Cubans are expected to arrive in this town, which has already received people from 15 different nationalities. The Town Hall is focused on other American countries to continue with the repopulation process in the region.

Mayor Luis Calderón has expressed his confidence in the Arraigo project and considers it will be an excellent way to repopulate the area. This initiative provides a unique opportunity for both immigrants and local communities, promoting diversity and growth in these towns threatened by depopulation.