Despite its aversion to reggaeton, the Cuban regime allows rallies of support for El Taiger
14ymedio, Havana, 6 Oct0ber 2024 — In an unusual gesture, the Cuban official press covered the news this weekend of the attempted murder of the singer José Manuel Carbajal Zaldívar, known as El Taiger, last Thursday in Miami. The unusual interest of the state media comes despite the fact that the music of reggaeton singers is frequently censored and demonized on television and radio on the island.
Carbajal Zaldívar was found on Thursday shot in the head and lying in the back compartment of a black Mercedes Benz van, which was abandoned two blocks from Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Paramedics had to remove him from the vehicle through the trunk and, according to local press, they also found two gallons of gasoline that they suspect could have been used to set the car on fire.
Since then, the reggaeton singer has been fighting between life and death at the Ryder Trauma Center of the same hospital, where he remains hospitalized in intensive care. The medical prognosis remains reserved due to the severity of his injuries, which forced him to undergo emergency surgery.
This Saturday, Cubadebate was quick to portray the singer as a “victim of a society as violent as the American one” and, with a marked ideological tone, emphasized that there was never a veto on the part of the Government to speak about the case. In the comments provided at the bottom of the article, some readers took advantage of the space to wish the singer a speedy recovery and applauded the fact that the official newspaper addressed the issue.
In its Sunday edition, the also official ‘Vanguardia’ dedicated a space to talk about the musician
In its Sunday edition, the also official Vanguardia dedicated a space to talk about the musician regarding the incident, which is being investigated as an attempted murder. Through a column signed by Francisnet Díaz Rondón, the official newspaper highlighted the popularity of the artist’s songs among the public on the Island and recounted some little-known episodes of “altruism with the most needy and sick” carried out by the reggaeton singer “through sincere and authentic actions.”
Similarly, the regime was also unusually permissive in the face of a series of public displays of support by El Taiger’s followers on the island, who took to the streets on Friday and Saturday to show their affection for the singer and to pray for his speedy recovery.
In Havana, hundreds of people gathered at La Cascada on 23rd and Malecon carrying candles and praying for the singer’s health. Other Cuban reggaeton singers such as Mawell and Charly & Johayron were also present at the event. Similar scenes occurred in Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo, where the musician’s followers walked and sang his songs in the streets. In Miami, another vigil took place outside the hospital where the reggaeton singer remains hospitalized.
Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales revealed during a press conference held on Friday that a man linked to the music industry and close to the reggaeton singer is the main suspect in the attack. He is Damian Valdés, better known as El Narra. According to preliminary reports from the authorities, the musician was one of the last people with whom the singer had contact before being attacked.
According to the motel registry where the victim stayed the night before the incident, it was Valdés who made the payment for the service. He has not been formally charged yet, but was declared a “person of interest.”
Miami Police informed the media that they know the identity of the owner of the car where Carbajal Zaldívar was found injured.
Miami Police informed the media that they know the identity of the owner of the car where Carbajal Zaldívar was found injured, but did not reveal more details to avoid compromising the progress of the case. “Our officers are investigating because we think this did not happen in the city of Miami. We are sure that it did not happen on that corner where the car was found. This happened somewhere else, someone took him there, left him and left on foot,” local police spokesman Mike Vega told Telemundo.
Miami-based lawyer Miguel Inda-Romero, who specializes in immigration issues, announced that he will process a humanitarian visa so that the reggaeton singer’s daughter, who lives in Cuba, can travel to the United States and be with her father. According to Telemundo, Inda-Romero emphasized that, despite not agreeing with some of the artist’s decisions in the past, she believes that “the girl is not to blame for anything, and it is our duty to help her.”
Before the attack, the artist led an ostentatious lifestyle and did not hesitate to boast about his money and his weapons on social media. He also bragged about his cocaine use and was involved in episodes of violence against other artists. In recent years, the singer was often featured in Cuban media based in Miami for his constant trips to and from prison, after facing charges for various crimes such as drug possession, armed robbery and assault.
Carbajal Zaldívar, who was part of the duo Los Desiguales with another artist nicknamed Damián, was especially popular in Cuba between 2014 and 2019. Back then, his stage name was El Príncipe. His music, mainly of the urban genre, was played at school parties and spaces for teenagers and young people.
____________
COLLABORATE WITH OUR WORK: The 14ymedio team is committed to practicing serious journalism that reflects Cuba’s reality in all its depth. Thank you for joining us on this long journey. We invite you to continue supporting us by becoming a member of 14ymedio now. Together we can continue transforming journalism in Cuba.
