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The Cuban singer Manolín El Médico de la Salsa reignited social media this Sunday by recalling the story behind his song "El Puente", a piece that -as he stated- ultimately led to his ban in Cuba and his subsequent departure from the country.
In a lengthy post on , the artist stated that the song is a "100% original" work composed in Miami during a tour of the United States and was performed for the first time in Havana in April 1999.
The salsa singer vividly recalled the moment he decided to perform the song in front of thousands of people during a concert held at the La Tropical recreational center.
According to their account, the show was part of an event organized by government institutions, and high-ranking officials from the country's cultural system were present at the venue.
A concert that ended in sanctions
Manolín explained that that night several orchestras were participating in the event, including NG La Banda.
The venue was completely packed with an audience, and their performance was going smoothly until they decided to sing a song that was not included in the program.
"I turn to my musicians and say to them: 'Nothing has been written about cowards,'" he recounted.
He then took the microphone and delivered a message that, according to him, sparked an immediate reaction among the attendees.
"All Cubans are brothers, no matter where they live or how they think," he recalled having said in front of the crowd.
It was then that he began to sing the chorus that would become famous among his followers:
"I'm going to build a bridge, a bridge with long sleeves, so the people from Miami can come, so the people from Havana can go."
The reaction of the authorities
According to the singer's account, the audience's reaction was immediate.
Thousands of people began to sing and jump along with him, while the atmosphere on stage grew increasingly tense.
Manolín assures that from the VIP area of the venue—where government officials, youth leaders, and representatives from official media were present—the reaction was very different.
According to what was reported, several security agents began to approach the stage as the atmosphere heated up.
The musician recalled that at that moment another artist decided to intervene to prevent a possible arrest.
It was José Luis Cortés "El Tosco," who quickly went up on stage and took the microphone to continue the song with different lyrics.
That marked the abrupt end of Manolín's performance. "That’s where my act ended; they wouldn't let me continue," he stated.
A prohibition that changed her career
According to the singer, the consequences arrived the next day.
The official newspaper Granma published a front-page article harshly criticizing his actions.
The text accused him of promoting the idea of a "pink pathway" between Miami and Havana, a metaphor that the regime interpreted as a defense of reconciliation between the Island and the diaspora.
After that episode, the artist claims that he was banned from the stages in the country.
"After that, I could no longer sing in Cuba, and I had to go live in Miami," he stated.
A song that returns to the debate
The singer's post comes amid a controversy that arose following the announcement of a new song being prepared by urban artists Jacob Forever, Yotuel Romero, and El Chacal.
The piece – which, according to previews shared on social media, could be titled "Bridge of Freedom" – symbolically envisions a connection between Miami and Havana that allows Cubans to travel freely between the island and the diaspora.
Even before its official release, the song sparked debate on social media.
Manolín reacted on Saturday by stating that the idea had already been developed by him decades ago.
"Three tin faces appeared singing El Puente. Everyone does the same: copy me", he wrote in a post that sparked hundreds of comments.
A metaphor that touches on a historical wound
Beyond the musical controversy, the idea of a "bridge" between Miami and Havana holds deep significance for Cubans.
For more than six decades, millions of citizens have left the country in various waves of migration, creating one of the largest diasporas in Latin America.
The city of Miami became the main destination for those emigrants, many of whom maintain strong family and cultural ties to the island.
The separation between those who remain in Cuba and those who live abroad has shaped the recent history of the country.
For years, the official discourse portrayed emigrants as political enemies, which fueled divisions between families and communities.
In that context, the metaphor of the bridge represents for many Cubans something more than a musical idea: it symbolizes the possibility of reunification, freedom of movement, and national reconciliation.
That’s why Manolín's song, performed in 1999 before thousands of people, generated such an intense reaction. He maintains that its message aimed precisely to break those barriers.
"All Cubans are brothers," he wrote again this Sunday.
And he ended his post with a phrase that summarizes his stance on the current controversy: "The Bridge is an emblematic issue. Respect."
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