Xiomara Lena Palacio Bello

She was born in Remedios, Villa Clara. In 1957 she moved to reside in La Habana, where she began studying dramatic arts with professor Adela Escartín, at the Prado 260 school.

In 1961 she joined the amateur group of the Instituto Cubano del Petróleo, and obtained a competitive scholarship to study at the Escuela Municipal de Artes Dramáticas, directed by Mario Rodríguez Alemán.

Since 1963 when the Teatro Nacional de Guiñol was founded she became part of that collective, where she has participated in the premiere of more than one hundred works.

In 2002 she began working with Grupo Pálpito, under the direction of Ariel Bouza, a group of which she is currently the lead actress.

She has performed as a guest in other collectives, such as Teatro de la Luna, Teatro Público and performances of the Centro Promotor del Humor.

She has also worked as an actress in radio, film and television.

She has obtained the following awards:
-Award for female acting at the National Theater Festivals for Children in 1976, 1983, 1985, 1990.
-Award for female acting at the Small Format Festival of Santa Clara 2003
-Award for female acting at the Espacio Vital Festival of Pinar del Río 2003.
-Caricato Awards for Female Acting, granted by the Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC), in the editions corresponding to the years 1988, 1992, 1995 and 2002.
-Award for Female Acting at the International Theater Festival for Children sponsored by UNICEF in Lima, Perú, 1990

She has taught puppet making and manipulation workshops in México, Italia, and Cuba. She has been a member of juries for theatrical and literary events.

She is a member of the National Executive of UNEAC, of the Expert Council for Children's Theater belonging to the National Council of Scenic Arts of Cuba, and of the National Court of Artistic Evaluation.

She has visited Checoslovaquia, Rumania and Polonia in 1969, Suecia in 1983, Perú in 1985, 1990 and 1997, Alemania and Italia in 1989, México in 1990 and 1996, Venezuela in 1992, 93, 94, 96 and 2000, Argentina in 1993, 94 and 95, Ecuador in 1993 and 2003, Colombia in 1997, España in 2000 and Estados Unidos in 2001 and 2004.

She holds the Orden Raúl Gómez García, the Distinción por la Cultura Nacional and the Medalla Alejo Carpentier.