{"id":213298,"date":"2020-02-06T09:19:41","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T14:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=213298"},"modified":"2020-02-06T09:19:41","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T14:19:41","slug":"is-there-a-revival-of-cultural-intolerance-among-miamis-cubans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba-usa\/is-there-a-revival-of-cultural-intolerance-among-miamis-cubans\/","title":{"rendered":"Is there a revival of cultural intolerance among Miami’s Cubans?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The urban music duo <\/span>Gente de Zona<\/span><\/a> was excluded from a New Year’s Eve concert in Miami. Singer Haila was declared persona non grata and her performance in a private club canceled. The same happened to Jacob Forever and El Micha in the neighboring city of Hialeah.<\/span><\/p>\n

They all have something in common: they are Cuban artists who have expressed their support for the island\u2019s government or have not criticized it.<\/span><\/p>\n

At a time when President <\/span>Donald Trump<\/span><\/a> is intensifying the embargo against Cuba, some members of the largest U.S.-Cuban community in the United States are again promoting a hardline cultural policy against artists they consider favorable to the Havana government..<\/span><\/p>\n

Support for a policy of restrictions and sanctions against the island among the nearly 1.2 million Cubans living in South Florida could influence the <\/span>2020 presidential election<\/span><\/a>. Partly because of the anti-communist position, Cuban-Americans have historically backed the Republican Party in an undecided state like Florida.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although some surveys in recent years have shown that support for the embargo among members of the Cuban community in South Florida has weakened, some observers point out that Trump’s attempts to economically drown Cuba have emboldened activists who want more sanctions for the Cuban government waiting to generate a change in the island.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of those activists is Alex Otaola, a 40-year-old Cuban actor who, from his daily television program broadcast on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, has called for protests and concert cancellations, including those of Gente de Zona and singer Haila Mar\u00eda Mompi\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gente de Zona was excluded from a concert in a Miami public park because of its alleged closeness to the Cuban government after the duo asked for applause for Miguel D\u00edaz-Canel and called him \u201cour president\u201d at a performance in Havana in 2018. Mompi\u00e9 has sung in political events in Cuba and in a concert in 2010 praised and kissed the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese are artists who are linked to or have a relationship with the ‘Cuban dictatorship,’ who serve as instruments of ‘the dictatorship,\u2019\u201d said Alex Otaola, who arrived in Miami in 2003. \u201cEnough of the double standards,\u201d he said referring to the musicians who, in his opinion, defend the Cuban government while earning dollars in concerts in the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Cuban-Americans interviewed by the AP<\/em> agency in Miami said they disagree with cultural restrictions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Carlos Nardo, a retiree who arrived from Cuba in 1970 and never returned to the island, said he did not support the cancellation of concerts and protests against the artists.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s art, they’re artists,\u201d Nardo said. \u201cIf they are against (the concerts), then they shouldn\u2019t go to see them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Haila en Miami: \u201cSomos hermanos, somos cubanos\u201d<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n