Lauded Mexican actress Sasha Montenegro dies

The renowned actress Aleksandra Aćimović, better known as Sasha Montenegro, died at the age of 78 after she suffered a stroke. The information was confirmed by Mexico's Asociación Nacional de Intérpretes (National Actors' Association) on its Facebook account.

"Renowned actress and vedette who belonged to the ficheras cinema era in Mexico. She is remembered for the films 'Bellas de Noche,' 'Pedro Navaja' and 'Forbidden Beach,'" wrote the association.

Montenegro was born in Bari, Italy, and her family emigrated from the Republic of Yugoslavia to Argentina. However, Sasha decided to try her luck in Mexico where she had a thriving artistic career and become a renowned actress.

The artist had a romantic relationship with the politician and former Mexican President José López Portillo. The former president was married at that time to Carmen Romano, with whom he had three children. He divorced Romano in 1991 and married Montenegro in 1995. López Portillo had two children with the actress: Nabila and Alexander.

"Sasha Montenegro is undoubtedly a figure of great importance for national cinema and Mexican entertainment. Her death is a great loss that afflicts the artistic world of our country, since her passage through this world not only meant the birth of 'ficheras cinema,' but also the consecration of show business and the passage of starlets through the big screen," Infobae recalled.