| 03.03.2021 – 17:41 (GMT-4)
Alexander Delgado, member of the reggaeton duo The people in the area, sang the popular song this month Homeland and life at the Sala’o restaurant-bar on Calle Ocho in Miami, where the audience happily chanted the song that in recent weeks has become a flag of those demanding freedom in Cuba.
Together with artists Yotuel Romero, Descemer Bueno, Maykel Osorbo and El Funky, the duet of Randy Malcom and Alexander performs a song calling for the replacement of the slogan “Patria o Muerte”, released by the late dictator Fidel Castro in 1960, with the phrase “Homeland and Life” .
The moment Alexander sang in the Sala’o restaurant-bar was shared by the artist himself on his Instagram stories.
On YouTube, where the video for the song was released in mid-February, the work has so far received over 3.3 million views and over 190,000 “Appreciations”, showing its rapid popularity.
The title of the song was also used to name initiatives such as the caravan who marched through Calle Ocho on Saturday to express their support and solidarity among all Cubans engaged in changing the political system in Cuba.
He also inspired other actions on and off the island. On Monday, the phrase appeared written on the facade of the Cuban Consulate General in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Many Cubans have labeled facades, walls in public spaces and their own bodies with these words, while Cuban authorities have stepped up their crackdown on any event involving the desecrated phrase or theme.
In February, government supporters and state security agents they violated the perimeter fence of activist Anyell Valdés’ house during an act of rejection. The attackers vandalized the facade of his house with blue paint to cover the slogan and instead painted official phrases such as “Viva Fidel” and “Patrie sau moarte”.
Recently, a Cuban resident in Spain performed a female version of the song, while the international media highlights its popularity and significance in times when Cubans seem increasingly defeated by the government, which proves unable to meet the most basic needs of the people.
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