Miami Commission Seeks to Stop Cultural Exchange with Cuba

According to the document, the federal legislature is urged to enact a law that allows other US states and local governments to ban recruitment of Cuban singers and artists.

The resolution, sponsored by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Commissioner Manolo Reyes, also calls on all federal, state and local officials to support the controversial text.

The document questions the importance of the existing cultural exchange between both nations, which is defended by numerous Cuban people living in the island and the United States, and appeals to the pretext of alleged human rights violations to reject such a cultural bridge.

The value of cultural exchange between the two nations and the respect of the US and Cuban-American public for artists involved in exchanges was proved a year ago with the celebration of the Festival of Arts of Cuba in Washington DC: ‘From the island to the world’.

The major event, held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, brought together over 400 Cuban artists residing on the island and outside, such as musicians, visual artists, theatre artists, dancers, designers and actors.

Many of them and members of the public told the press at the time about the importance of such an initiative and the need to multiply those experiences.