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The Cuban singer Dianelys Alfonso Cartaya, artistically known as La Diosa, testified as a witness in the trial against the reggaeton artist Chocolate MC and reported that the prosecution severely limited her testimony, preventing her from explaining to the jury the personal and professional context of the accused.
At the conclusion of the hearing, she stated this Wednesday to journalist Javier Díaz from Univisión 23 that “they hardly let her speak” and that she barely managed to answer introductory questions about how she met the artist, despite her intention to provide information regarding mental health, rehabilitation attempts, and the dynamics of social media in the urban world.
The interpreter stated that her goal was to "explain to the judge what our world is" — that of the artists — and how they express themselves in the digital ecosystem, so that Chocolate's behavior could be better understood in context.
"A true killer acts; they do not talk," he summarized, referring to the difference between bravado on social media and punishable offenses.
“I leave quite upset because they really hardly let me speak… it’s difficult for a jury to see things fairly like that, without being able to explain that there is a person who is not well,” she added.
During her testimony, La Diosa defended that the artist wanted to rehabilitate and that she, along with family members and colleagues —she mentioned Otaola, Osmani García, and others— attempted to secure treatment for him.
He recalled a "complicated" night when he was taken to a rehabilitation center that—according to what he was told—“had more drugs than the street” and where “there was a smell of urine on the mattresses”; even so, Chocolate himself was willing to stay if she deemed it necessary.
In light of the high costs of care, he proposed a fundraising campaign, but she refused as it did not involve her followers, a gesture he interpreted as a sign that "beneath all her craziness, she had principles."
The artist also stated that “Yosvanis is a sick man” and that his deterioration has been noticeable in public.
He assured that he attempted to take his own life in prison "with a sheet", and that prior to this, he was beaten and humiliated by several men, an episode of which —he said— the musician only responded with a song ("Penco pero con talento").
When asked about threats against Damián Valdez Galloso, she insisted that, based on her knowledge of the artist, “he would rather kill himself” than harm anyone else.
La Diosa emphasized that she has known Yosvanis for more than 15 years and that, although “he is not a role model,” “he is not a murderer.”
According to his account, no one knows the extent to which the musician "wanted to heal," and this is why he was frustrated that he couldn't fully present to the jury the timeline of attempts at help, the failed admissions, and the need for the court to distinguish between performance-related provocations and criminal behavior.
The hearing took place moments before the jury found Yosvanis Sierra Hernández, known artistically as Chocolate MC, guilty of the charge of "writing or publishing direct threats" against Damián Valdez Galloso.
With the verdict already issued, the process moves into the sentencing phase before Judge Milton Hirsch, who has indicated that the penalty could reach up to life imprisonment.
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