A Bridge Between Cuba and USA is Possible

by JAMP | December 4, 2009 at 01:05 pm

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Cuban singer and composer Carlos Varela, expressed his faith in that things can change and that a wonderful bridge can be built between Cuba and the United States.

Varela's presentation took place at the Great Court of the United Methodist Church in Washington, organized by the Center for Democracy in the Americas and the Council for Latin America of the American University.

Cubans do not feel far from the American people, said Varela. It is not the American people who impedes the approach. It has been the American government. Varela also pointed out that many Cubans have formed families overseas, and even with spouses and children born in USA. “That is to be respected. So much time can not be so far and so close. Each visit (of the North Americans) to Cuba gives us hope that that can change. No government is right in separating the families.”

The United States should understand that the Cuban people can't understand how Luis Posada Carriles is allowed to walk freely by Miami streets. He is responsible for the bombing of a Cubana passenger plane in October 1976, and he deserves to be behind bars, said. “Almost all the Cubans know somebody that has lost a beloved person due to the managed terrorism against Cuba”, he added.

Regarding the Cuban Five, those Heroes that are wrongly imprisoned in the United States because of fighting, Varela said that their mothers, wives and kids are suffering for a long time. “It is important that the US understand that the Posada Carriles and the Cuban Five cases are a key issue for Cuban people, and not only for the Cuban government.

About the way he makes music, Varela said that “I sing about the Cuban daily life. What I won and what I lost. Those are my songs”. The experience was that at the beginning, songs seemed dark and with the time they won the public's trust. I don't make concessions. Neither artistic neither political. People respect that, even the governments.” said.

Talking about concerts, Varela said that “Cuba is the only country in the world where a concert can be organized without announcements, television or radial spots, and in three days to gather more than 25 000 people”. About the recent Peace Concert in Havana, where he played together with Silvio Rodríguez, Amaury Pérez, Los Van Van, Olga Tañón, Juanes and other musicians, he assured that only music brought them. It could be organized for more than a million people in the Square of the Revolution in Havana, without political watchwords.

Reuters' journalist who interviewed Varela wanted to taste his opinion on the Cuban blogger to whom President Barack Obama answered a questionnaire recently. “Outside Cuba, Yoani is the person who sells more disks now, but in Cuba there are many artists. Many Yoanis… Not always the one that sells more disks is the one that better represents what people think.”

Carlos Varela intends to return to the USA next year with his band and he talked to American musicians so they that can visit the Island.