“What is Juanes’ REAL agenda?” asks (in Cuba) dissident
I repeat: "You know how the dialogueros and their MSM and Think-Tank auxiliaries are quick to broadcast how some Damas de Blanco, Yoani, etc. (people who generally manage to stay outta Cuban jails) favor the Juanes concert?"
And how us in exile have no business butting in? blah.blah.blah? etc. etc. etc.?
Well, on top of Antunez' opinion on the matter why haven't we seen the MSM and their pet "Cuba experts" publicize this one from Cuban (as in inside Cuba) dissident, Roberto Guerra Perez
"Latin pop icon Juanes has been invited to play in Cuba by Silvio Rodriguez, notorious defender of the Castroite regime, in power for over half a century. Juanes claims that: "playing in Cuba is a symbol of changing people's minds."
OK, but I ask him: "Whose minds?" In view of the fact that the Columbian singer has never spoken in favor of Cuba's political prisoners, or in favor of Cubans unable to live normal lives because a Communist regime control's everything they do--so again, I ask the Cuban people: What is this guy really up to?"
more details (in Spanish here.)
We shall certainly look for the Miami Herald and rest of the MSM to report on this view from a Cuban dissident.
H/T our good friend Gustavo Rex
Speaking about double standards…..
Many are trying to forget how Frank Sinatra had to apologize (very humbly I might add) for his ten day engagement in South Africa.
Those entertainers that performed in South Africa during apartheid were all BLACKLISTED!
But not to worry… Entertainers that perform in Cuba while the Communist regime practices apartheid, repression and torture are HEROES!
Go figure!
Juanes is a "Latin" celebrity. He's already carrying the "stigma" of being from Colombia, which by "Latin" standards is dangerously close to right-wing, and among "Latins" that's practically the kiss of death. I fully expect that Juanes, like Shakira, is keenly aware of this "handicap" and determined not to make it worse, but instead to compensate for being from Uribe country. This means he absolutely, positively cannot even whisper a single word against "Che" or come anywhere close to condemning Castro, Inc. (if there was even the slightest chance of the latter, this concert would be about as likely as a Hollywood celebrity fundraiser for Sarah Palin). Juanes can play the "apolitical" or neutrality game, but that's it. At the very most, he may risk some extremely mild, vague, wishy-washy gesture along Vatican lines, but I doubt he'd go even that far (if he did, he'd definitely have to condemn the embargo and praise the "achievements" of the revolution, but he may well do THAT anyway). In other words, this whole concert business is "un pan amasado," which means it's bound to turn out very much as we have every reason to expect, if not worse.
I loved that image of a Hollywood celebrity fundraiser for Palin. I am going to imagine that. A lot.
What would it take for Obama to finally make the left see the light and go for such an idea? A trillion dollar Deficit? No, we already have that. A ruination of our economy and privacy forever? No, we already have those plans in operation. A spreading hatred of America. No they're already there.
I know, a huge celebrity tax that even they cannot evade. No more privacy, remember? Empty Swiss bank accounts, tax retirement funds. No matter how much you contributed to our campaign, we need the money to pay for our stuff and we have to go where the money is. No, I don't think even that.
Maybe some bad reviews of films by Hollywood liberals by the president or first lady. Maybe. Hmmmmm. Now how do we get that on tape?