MercoPress - Falklands-Malvinas & South Atlantic News

MercoPress - Falklands-Malvinas & South Atlantic News

granma.cu - CHALLENGES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA

granma.cu - CHALLENGES IN SOUTH EAST ASIA

Manu Chao vs. USIS in Havana

Last night Manu Chao played a free concert in Havana at the Anti-Imperialist Tribunal in front of the US Interest Section...

There are 2 articles in the Granma International newspaper about this... they are interesting and mention that Manu Chao will play in Caracas on Friday and later in Bolivia.... both free....http://www.granma.cu/

One thing that the articles don't say is how the USIS responded to Manu Chao's declarations in the paper supporting the Cuban Revolution and against the Bush regime.

On the one story high electronic billboard that spans the entire forth floor of the USIS office building just behind the stage..... the gringos flashed over and over again a message to Manu Chao utilizing the musician's own lyrics (in bold print below)...taken out of context ... and from a couple of different songs ....pasted together... they read:

Bienvenidos a Cuba Manu Chao..... Todo es mentira en este mundo... Por eso hay muchas Cubanos que tambien estan esperando la ultima ola..

(Welcome to Cuba Manu Chao... Everything is a lie in this world.... For that reason there are many Cubans also waiting for the last wave...)

During the concert that opened with cartoons on large screens making fun of "W", Manu Chao dedicated the concert to all those who fight against those who hide their evil deeds behind the word democracy. He also called W the single biggest danger to the health and happiness of the world's children. Toward the end he made statemenst praising President Fidel Castro and in memory of El Che......

Fortunately, concert goers could not see the nasty message being displayed by the shameless dogs at the USIS because the stage itself along with a sea of flags blocked the view. Probably less than 100 people saw it.

Still, what a great way to spend US tax dollars....eh? Stealing a revolutionary singer's words to broadcast nasty quips from a building that is supposed to represent the only official relationship between the countries.

I think that more needs to be done about this billboard.... It seems to not be getting enough US / international attention....