Juanes defends planned Havana concert

Last week we mentioned plans by Colombia's Juanes to host a peace concert in the Cuban capital of Havana. The proposed gig- which could take place on September 20th- has split the Cuban exile community in the U.S.

Writer-journalist Carlos Alberto Montaner praised Juanes for taking the initiative to play in Cuba. “It could be the chance for thousands of young Cubans to reject the Cuban regime”, he said while adding that the concert wouldn’t diminish his mainstream appeal.

On the other side of the coin are views like that of filmmaker Joe Cardona who wrote a scathing op/ed piece in the Miami Herald. “The concert promises to be nothing more than a shameless, thoughtless and heartless appearance by the 36-year-old singer and his fellow performers” wrote Cardona who also claimed that the planned concert would provide a “tacit legitimization” of the Castro government.

Meanwhile, Juanes and his associates have strongly denied the criticisms against him. “Why are the promotion of unity between peoples and the dismantling of borders bothersome?” said the musician’s spokesman- Fernán Martínez. Juanes defended his actions in an interview last night on Univision’s “Aquí y Ahora" (Here and Now) newsmagazine. “Traveling to Cuba symbolizes that it’s time to change minds” he said and added that the U.S. government has provided its support for the event.

Perhaps the last word on the subject should be with a Cuban who actually lives on the island: blogger Yoani Sanchez.

I think that Juanes should come and sing. If his subject is peace, he will have to know that this Island is not immersed in bellicose conflict, but neither does it know concord. He will raise his voice before a people who have been divided, classified according to a political color and compelled to confront any who think differently. A population that for years has not heard talk of harmony and that knows the punishment given to those who dare to voice their criticisms. We need his voice, but only if he comes to sing without forgetting any Cuban, without rejecting any difference.

Image- Washington Post
Online Sources- The Latin Americanist, Miami Herald, EPA, Americas Quarterly, Huffington Post, El Tiempo, Global Voices Online