Alongside several other artists, Aparicio Ferrera publicly refused to create work for the regime:
I will not enter my films in any festival or government sponsored event or write copy for any of their publications. I do not plan to participate in any official activities from now on. It’s not much, but it is what I decided.
Black Lives Matter condemned the United States government for trying to “crush” the Cuban Revolution through its embargo, alleging that the policy inhibits Cubans’ ability to choose their own government: