A concert by Cuban orchestra Los Van Vans scheduled for May 19 at the Miami Beach Bandshell Amphitheater has finally been cancelled.
Municipal Commissioner Alex Fernandez celebrated on his twitter account suspension of the concert, which he described as “disgraceful”.
Fernández wrote, “For decades, Los Van Van have used their musical talents to promote tyranny and violate basic human rights.”
“Unfortunately, the money from their ticket sales will redirect dollars from our economy to help perpetuate violations of human rights and personal liberties within Cuba.”
The commissioner “on behalf of the many victims of the oppressive Cuban regime” thanked the show’s organizing company, Fundación Ritmo, “for accepting my call, listening to me with sympathy, and canceling this offensive concert at the Miami Beach Bandshell”. Thanked ,
Many Twitter users thanked Fernandez for his intervention so that the Cuban Orchestra’s concert was suspended. Others, however, held that it was a rights violation in the style of the Cuban tyranny.
When announcing the suspension of the concert on their Facebook page, Los Van Van alleged logistical reasons and did not mention political issues.
“Our fans are advised that it is impossible for Los Van Van Orchestra to arrive in time to perform at the Miami Beach Bandshell due to commitments and flight combinations elsewhere,” the orchestra’s post reported.
The canceled concert was part of a tour during which the band performed on various stages in Mexico. The next leg of their tour will be at the Lehman Center in New York, where they will perform on May 26, as announced on their Facebook page.
He will also lead the celebration of the San Francisco Carnival in the California city from May 27 to 28.
Along with Los Van Vans, La Sonora Dinamita will perform, a group originating in Colombia that will play cumbia at the carnival, accompanied by singer Vilma Díaz.
After its appearance in Miami in 1999, the Cuban band did not appear in Florida for more than ten years, which provoked strong protests from exiles, who considered it a provocation and mockery of their exile.
In May 2022, a petition on the Change.org platform asked the city of Pembroke Pines, Florida, to cancel a concert by the orchestra.
The petition, filed by the Action 4 Freedom group, states, “Los Van Van is a music band that has historically supported and collaborated with the Cuban dictatorship. Their unconditional support for the Communist Party of Cuba has led to their expansion in South Florida.” made the presence unpleasant.”
Later, in Italy, in August, two Cuban activists were expelled from the venue where a Los Van Van concert ended for entering with a sign for the release of the island’s political prisoners.
Before being driven out of the venue where the musicians had played, activists shouted phrases such as “Freedom for political prisoners”, “Motherland and life” and “Down with the Dictatorship”.
Los Van Vans, regarded by Cuban exiles as a symbol of the “Castro dictatorship”, is one of the most popular orchestras on the island and has played a mix of styles and Afro-Cuban music with salsa rhythms for more than 50 years. and jazz. Its members have often refused to mention the socio-political situation of the island.
However, in July 2021, days after the anti-government protests known as 11J, the musician joined a number of Cuban artists in criticizing the repression against the protesters.
