Critical Song Enrages Cuba’s Communist Cultural Association
By Circles Robinson
HAVANA TIMES – A song by four popular Cuban singers critical of the system has the Communist Party organizations and media monopoly scrambling to defend itself. The latest to chime in is the musical division of UNEAC, the party’s cultural association.
The song, Patria y Vida (Homeland and Life) came out last Tuesday and in four days already had over 1.2 million views.
In Cuba, no critical public expression is allowed, and the party reacts quickly when it occurs. Its government, policies, and leaders are considered sacred, beyond questioning or criticism. However, suppressing dissenting opinions is more complicated these days due to social networks and “illegal” independent media.
The artists on Patria y Vida are: Yotuel, Gente de Zona and Descemer Bueno.
The following is the statement issued by UNEAC published on the Communist Party’s Cubadebate website.
UNEAC: To Die for the Homeland is to Live
With indescribable disgust, we have seen social networks invaded with the worst attempts at musicalized discourse. The purported intention is projecting to public opinion the image of an artistic movement in opposition to the Cuban Revolution.
It is a regrettable fact that a farse like this has chosen music as its language. Even more regrettable is its appearance on dates so relevant to Cuban musicians. These include the 94th anniversary of the birth of Juan Almeida Bosque, the 203rd anniversary of the birth of Perucho Figueredo and the 58th anniversary of the death of Benny Moré. All figures who from different angles taught us that music and art in general take on their greatest meaning and embody their greatest responsibility when it comes to serving the country.
It is regrettable and embarrassing that at a time when the vanguard of the Cuban musical movement is immersed in sustaining the spiritual life of our population, personalities born and trained in our nation, use their voices to increase their mercenary popularity.
The Cuban people energetically reject them, convinced that the [US] Empire that today applauds them and throws its coins, like Rome, pays the traitors, but despises them…
At the time of being shot, Major General Perucho Figueredo, author of our National Anthem, reminded us that Dying for the Homeland is Living. For this reason, before the disgrace of buffoons such as those who have perpetrated this offense, we reiterate once again our irreplaceable slogan: “Homeland or Death: We will win!”
Association of Musicians of UNEAC
Havana, February 19, 2020 – “Year 63 of the Revolution”
Paul Harrigan;
Your last sentence says it all.
All the countries that could possibly supply Cuba with the required goods, services, medical apparatus’, medicine, etc., are in abject fear to do so.
The totally illegal, extraterritorial sanctions applied by the USA Government, against these countries’ through fear of financial OR military reprisals is, in your own words, correct.
‘People will NOT be ruled by fear’.
This is how the ‘Regime-Change Activities’ of the US Government, upset the chosen victim-countries citizens’ because of the attacked country’s governments non-ability to provide the necessary goods and services that their residents need and expect.
This is how the US Government is, and always has been operating, to break down confidence of the attacked countries citizens. Nothing new here, Paul. It is America’s modus operandi !
Dissident CUBAN citizens’ are being paid to attack Cuba’s Political Structures and businesses, by CIA Divisions NED, USAID and a plethora of the other 15, Acronym-Divisions of the CIA.
There are also a HUGE number of US NGO’s, secretly organizing AND PAYING Dissident Cuban young people, to cause trouble anywhere that is possible, in Cuba.
They are getting paid equally to the size of the damage that they successfully cause.
Things are not ALWAYS as they seem, folks.
Your Cuban Government is being attacked from all sides. They are trying their best to keep things going well, against the tremendous destabilization efforts of the American Government.
Don from Northern Canada
Some sense of humor you got there, “Anti-Imperialist”. Seems you’re as thin skinned as those Commie tyrants.
That’s a great idea Dan, all protest singers who play a type of music that Dan doesn’t like or have a well-built body should be arrested. And you forgot to call him gay, which is what the Cuban media does because he is shirtless. Now that’s probably another crime for hetro Dan.
Where I don’t agree is whether the existence of the first justifies the repressive actions by the second. And what do you propose, banning and criminalizing protest singing in both the US and Cuba?
Have they been arrested ? Not that I know of. Maybe they should be though for the second rate music and bodybuilder dude ….
Dan, I totally agree with you that the self-declared US patriots and the Cuban government thugs have a lot in common. Where I don’t agree is whether the existence of the first justifies the repressive actions by the second. And what do you propose, banning and criminalizing protest singing in both the US and Cuba?
Why does the Cuban Government have “thin skin”? People that think it does, obviously have no clue to the US intelligence agencies use of artists to promote regime change. They also ignore the fact that half the USA, the so called “Patriots” would run the most mild critics of the USA, out of the country on a rail if they could. So give Cuba a break, it’s had to deal w/ every imaginable type of attack for over 60 years.
To those “cuatro gatos” from the UNEAC,
You may choose Death, but leave the Homeland alone… It ain’t yours! It belongs to all…
Why does the Cuban government fear any criticism from artists? Through the centuries it has always been the musicians, artists, poets, writers, cinema, journalists, who have prodded societies to move on in their thinking. It’s so sad that Cuba, a country filled with such talented people, feels it must cling to an out dated political model that remains in very few nations, none of which are world leaders. It’s frustrating to watch Cuba flounder under the weight of a government that clings to the past instead of moving forward to the future.
What a antiquated regime run by people with ancient minds and ideals. Come into the real world people develop by having free expression and free speech it’s the twenty first century. People will no longer tolerate being ruled by fear.