The Cuban artist Richard Somonte, based in Madrid for five years, gifted a giant portrait dedicated to Argentine President Javier Milei during a ceremony in the Spanish capital.
The event took place at the Real Casino de Madrid, where Milei received the Juan de Mariana Institute award for his "exemplary defense of the ideas of freedom."
Somonte, 32 years old, arrived in Spain fleeing the Cuban communist regime and has gained recognition for his portraits of prominent figures, especially for works dedicated to bullfighters.
The economist Jesús Huerta de Soto, who presented the portrait, pointed out that Somonte is a fervent follower of the libertarian ideas of the Argentine president.
"I have been a follower of Milei's ideas for about five years, since I arrived in Spain," stated Somonte.
The painter explained that his interest in understanding the reasons for the failure of socialism in Cuba led him to follow commentators such as Juan Ramón Rallo and Antonio Escohotado, and Javier Milei, known for his televised debates in Argentina.
In 2023, Somonte painted a first portrait of Milei that was acquired by Huerta de Soto. Subsequently, he was commissioned to create a large-scale portrait to be delivered at the Freedom dinner, where Milei was awarded this Saturday.
Somonte expressed his hope that Milei's libertarian project serves as an example in Latin America, and particularly in Cuba, to overcome socialism.
During the anti-government protests in Cuba in July 2021, Somonte strongly criticized the repression by the regime, describing it as a dictatorship and murderous.
In this session, Milei also received the International Medal from the Community of Madrid, presented by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the region.
The most emotional moment of the night occurred when Milei, visibly moved, received the portrait of Somonte, with the famous Argentine phrase: "Long live Freedom, damn it!"
What is your opinion?
COMMENTFiled under:
