The Cuban government has a series of careless responses to the song “Patria y Vida”, none of which live up to what for many is already an anthem. In the trials on the island there is no famous artist to match Yotuel Romero, the duo Gente de Zona, Descemer Bueno, not even the rap force of Maykel Castillo (Osorbo) and Eliecer Márquez (El Funky).
Faced with official documents, even from members of the Interior Ministry (MININT), many Cubans wonder where the regime-linked artists are who have repeatedly raised their voices to defend the blunders of the Central Party Committee.
Not Israel Rojas, who came out to defend the culture minister who physically attacked an independent journalist; nor Haila María Mompié, whom Granma he defended “Fidel’s kiss and song”; nor the iconic Los Van Van; nor Ray Fernández, who made fun of “Patria y Vida” with a graffiti on his stomach; not even Arnaldo Rodríguez, el del Talisman, CDR singer, came out to sing a chorus for the Havana regime.
Where are these and other singers? Did they say no to the Cuban government’s demands? Will the answer to “Homeland and Life” continue to be songs of dubious quality, with unknown singers and even children? Do they not tire of using children, blacks and women to demonstrate their alleged support for the dictatorship?
Only Raúl Torres released a song that is about to be the worst in the history of music on the island, which already contains many songs “in defense of the Revolution” from 1959. While “Patria y Vida” is approaching four million views on YouTube, Torres’ song accumulates over 102,000 “I don’t like” on the official press channel Cubadebate. The other “songs” are not even noticeable beyond the shame they arouse among those who hear them.
Maykel Osorbo died laughing, watching the MININT video with three men in uniform. “I don’t know how to sing. They had to be cops, to forget about it (…) We won’t answer anything,” the singer said on Facebook.
The director of the video for “Patria şi Vida”, Asiel Babastro, expressed his opinion on these official songs in the conversation with DIARIO DE CUBA: “They were not even careful and they were not well directed, they did not use an appendix of creativity. Nothing. It was a bitch. You realize how little artists support, even those who defend the Cuban Revolution, have not even borrowed from it.. In the end, I know that what I am defending is false. “
Will Cándido Fabré remain just a sloppy answer, even if he likes “strong opponents”? They will not take a step forward Omara Portuondo; Laritza Bacallao, who sang at the age of 90 from Fidel Castro; or José Luis Cortés (El Tosco), who went to play the flute at his tomb in Santa Ifigenia? Is the Cuban regime alone, despite the Ministry of Culture’s alleged dialogue with its artists and intellectuals?
Please think carefully about the next song that the Cuban people can no longer handle “los temitas”.
And no, they can’t handle the message “Homeland and Life.” “It’s over”. Move on.