Yotuel Romero: "If there is blood these days, reconciliation in Cuba will be much more difficult"

• In six questions, Why is Cuba burning?

• Official reaction The Spanish Government makes the statue

• Free Trade Zone Whose street is it?

Yotuel Romero left Cuba for France in 1999 almost like a homeless man; ended up in Spain where he became a star with the band Orishas. He passed through Argentina, settled in Miami ... Now, after more than two decades of immigration and

, where his mother continues to live, Yotuel has become a symbol of the protesters against oppression in Cuba, who they have taken

a song co-written by him, to subvert the traditional

Revolutionary

.

In Venezuela, the regime has endured a thousand waves of discontent. In Iran, too. In Colombia, although it is a different case, the same ... The states, no matter how controversial they may be, are learning to withstand the pressure, but in Cuba we come from another lineage. What do you mean? Cuba's dictatorship is the longest we have in America, perhaps in the world. And we Cubans are the most tired, the ones who have had more years of contained tension. The pressure is much greater. It's been 62 years like this and, suddenly, we feel that it can be a matter of days to reach that point that seemed impossible. Does the illusion for change or the anguish for repression weigh more heavily on you? It all comes together. Nobody wants violence. Look, violence always means pain. But, the courage of the people makes me very proud. That is the Cuba that represents me.And in the mix of emotions that I have these days, there is a bitter taste, but the sweet taste weighs more. Do you remember a time when something like this happened? Never before. Because the

[the 1994 crisis] was an escape, people were leaving. What about

[1980] was the same. Instead, now, the Cubans no longer want to leave. They want to stay in their Cuba but in freedom. Why has the regime endured all these years? Fidel died, Raúl disappeared ... but democracy did not come, first of all, because there was no internet. And secondly, because the people were afraid. We artists were afraid, I was afraid. Change occurs when you understand that fear is not going to go away, that you have to live with it, go to war with it. Tell me about the song, the sensation of seeing Cubans facing bullets saying

inexplicable

. I am very proud to think that a song of ours gives them value. Look, artists have our power: art is not just a shield to protect oneself sentimentally; it also serves to protect us politically. They also made their songs and penetrated. Now we are the ones who can penetrate. If Cuba becomes a democracy, there will be a day later in which it will be necessary to reconcile with the cousins, with the neighbors who are in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. It all depends on what happens these days. Among Cubans there is a lot of pain, but things can be overcome, we can assume the fact that we think different things. We will remain friends and brothers. But what will happen now if those people obey Díaz Canel when he calls, the revolutionaries have to go to combat and fight in the streets.If there is blood, reconciliation will be much more difficult. That is why we call on all the authorities to renounce their weapons, to commit themselves not to shoot at a defenseless people. What will depend on whether the regime endures these days or falls? I do not know. I make songs, I fight for freedom, but events are ahead of me. The July 11 demonstration took me by surprise. The outcome of all this, who knows what it will be? I believe that we have God on our side and that he is not going to fail us. My great concern, that of all of us, is that violence is not a factor at this time. Sadly it will be. They are already disconnecting the internet so that no one uploads images of what is happening in the towns. We are also concerned about the silence of the international community. That asks us a lot.Here in Spain, the government's response has been a bit tepid. I think there has been no response. Do you see yourself living in Cuba in the future? In a free Cuba, yes. And I'll be the first to return. Well, the first one is going to be difficult, because that is the dream of more than four million Cubans around the world. We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, where we can dream without having to go elsewhere. . The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.The government's response has been a bit tepid. I think there has been no response. Do you see yourself living in Cuba in the future? In a free Cuba, yes. And I'll be the first to return. Well, the first one is going to be difficult, because that is the dream of more than four million Cubans around the world. We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, where we can dream without having to go elsewhere. . The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.The government's response has been a bit tepid. I think there has been no response. Do you see yourself living in Cuba in the future? In a free Cuba, yes. And I'll be the first to return. Well, the first one is going to be difficult, because that is the dream of more than four million Cubans around the world. We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, where we can dream without having to go elsewhere. . The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.Do you see yourself living in Cuba in the future? In a free Cuba, yes. And I'll be the first to return. Well, the first one is going to be difficult, because that is the dream of more than four million Cubans around the world. We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, where we can dream without having to go elsewhere. . The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.Do you see yourself living in Cuba in the future? In a free Cuba, yes. And I'll be the first to return. Well, the first one is going to be difficult, because that is the dream of more than four million Cubans around the world. We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, where we can dream without having to go elsewhere. . The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, in which we can dream without having to go elsewhere. The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.We all want to return to a prosperous Cuba with rights, in which we can dream without having to go elsewhere. The country that has been stolen from us will have to be rebuilt, but we are not afraid of that work. There are so many well-prepared people ... In every country in the world that I have been, I have found talented Cubans, enterprising people who have made their fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have. have learned.enterprising people who have made a fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have learned.enterprising people who have made a fortune and who are crazy to return to their land and to contribute everything they have and everything they have learned.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

• Cuba

• music

• HBPR

MusicThe new June 23 of Vetusta Morla: return to concerts 500 days later

Culture Najwa Nimri, from La casa de papel: "Clicking and reporting something does not make you a good person"

MusicSandra García-Sanjuán: "Plácido Domingo is a number 1 and he has to be on Starlite"

See links of interest

• Last News

• Olympic Games

• Work calendar

• Home THE WORLD TODAY

• Data journalism

• The 16th stage of the Tour, live: Pas de la Casa and Saint Gaudens