Huge crowds gather in Havana for peace concert
One million Cubans gathered in Havana Sunday for a historic music
concert that aimed to unite Cubans here and expatriates from the
island's diaspora, said to be the biggest such gathering since the
revolution half a century ago.
"We are living in an absurd ideological war," said the event's
organizer, Miami-based singer Juanes, during an intermission of the
"Peace without Borders" concert.
Cubans attend the “Peace without Borders” concert, on September
20, 2009 at the Revolution Square in Havana. Over a million
Cubans gathered in Havana Sunday for a concert including
Miami-based singer Juanes, a gig welcomed by US President Barack
Obama, but criticized by Cuban exiles. AFP |
"We have to exchange hate for love," he said.
Revelers at the massive event braved blistering heat in the capital's
storied Revolution Square, with merriment belying the political
undertones of the concert.
US President Barack Obama has welcomed the event, but it was harshly
criticized by many in Miami's Cuban exile community, who feared that the
concert would legitimize the island's communist regime. The
Colombian-born Juanes received death threats ahead of the concert.
Many of those present appeared to be moved by the message that Cubans
everywhere to need to band together.
"We have to unite Cubans that are inside and those outside. Everyone
has family there.
It does not matter why they left. We have to leave hate behind," said
Yordanis Padron, a 34-year-old electrician.
Clutching an umbrella, a bottle of water and a snack, 73-year-old
Lidia said she hoped the concert would "serve as a message to the
imperialists that we want peace and help to reconcile those here with
those from over there."
Earlier, Obama welcomed plans for the massive but controversial
concert, telling US Spanish-language network Univision the performance
could help improve ties with Cuba.
Obama's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Colombian singer
Juanes before he left for Cuba, a trip which has prompted some of
Miami's million-strong Cuban exile community to smash his records in
protest. "My understanding is that he's a terrific musician. He puts on
a very good concert," Obama told the station as part of a five-channel
media blitz on Sunday to sell his plan to reform US health care.
"I certainly don't think it hurts US-Cuban relations, these kinds of
cultural exchanges."
Juanes promised a "historic" show on Havana's vast Revolution Square,
the scene of countless declarations by Cuba's communist leaders and home
to an iconic mural of Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara. "We are
excited to connect with the audience in Cuba saying that we are here,
that they are not alone, and that we hope over time things can change
and the Cuban family can be one," the 37-year-old Grammy winner said
Saturday.
"What better language than music... for that wake-up call," said
Juanes, who now lives in Miami.
The show is the second event under the "Paz sin Fronteras" banner,
after a 2008 Juanes show promoting peace on the border between Colombia
and Venezuela.
The concert, headlined by Juanes most famous for his hit songs "A
Dios le Pido" and "La Camisa Negra"will also feature some of Latin
America's brightest music stars, including Olga Tanon, Danny Rivera and
the Orishas.
Speaking from Caracas, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez described the
event as "marvelous," and said protests against it were "insanity"
Although the concert has been politically charged, Obama warned that
it was no substitute for politics.
"I wouldn't overstate the degree that it helps," Obama said.
"What I'd really like to see is Cuba starting to show that it wants
to move away from some of the anti-democratic practices of the past."
Since coming to office, Obama has lifted some restrictions on
Cuban-Americans traveling and sending money to the island, but there has
been no major breakthrough in icy ties between the Cold War enemies.
Instead, both sides seem to be taking an incremental approach to
improving relations.
This week, representatives from the two sides met to discuss the
resumption of postal service between the two countries.
AFP |