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The Cuban troubadour Silvio Rodríguez praised the Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny during a controversial dinner held on Monday at a restaurant in Old Havana, which he attended with his family and the former leader of "Podemos," Pablo Iglesias.
A report by Diario Red indicates that the Mexican journalist Estefanía Veloz, who was also present at the dinner, posed the question to the 79-year-old troubadour: "Silvio, what do you think about Bad Bunny?".
The troubadour praised several songs by the Puerto Rican artist, including "Hawái", highlighting its social message, Bad Bunny's impact on younger generations, and the scope of his performances.
"What happened to Hawaii is a song I like. (…) I think it's important to talk about it; it has a good message that other communities can relate to. Those are good songs," he stated.
"Additionally, he is a great artist; his shows are spectacular. The flags situation (at the super bowl) was significant," he added.
The contrast between the revolutionary troubadour —the foremost representative of the Nueva Trova cubana and who has stated "I have never been disappointed" by the Cuban regime— and Bad Bunny, the most listened to trap and reggaeton artist in the Spanish-speaking world, sparked a wide reaction on social media.
The dinner took place against the backdrop of the controversial visit of the Convoy Nuestra América, organized by Progressive International, which arrived in Cuba on March 21 with approximately 20 tons of humanitarian aid — food, medicine, and solar panels — and 650 delegates from 33 countries, including Jeremy Corbyn and Hasan Piker.
Díaz-Canel received the delegation at the Convention Palace, and later Pablo Iglesias stated that the crisis in Cuba “is certainly difficult, but not in the way it is being portrayed from the outside,” generating strong criticism in Spain for downplaying the situation on the island from his privileged position.
In addition, the visit of these figures from the international left has sparked strong criticism among Cubans both on the island and abroad, who denounce the stark contrast between the festive gatherings of the visitors, the luxury hotels where they are staying, and the severe crisis that the country is facing.
As noted by CiberCuba, 'the city is collapsing while they sing': blackouts of up to 20 hours, shortages of food and medicine, and building collapses in Havana.
The episode adds to a series of recent controversies involving Rodríguez. On March 18, the troubadour and musician Michel Torres publicly called for an "AKM" to confront a possible U.S. invasion, a statement that sparked a wave of reactions regarding the armed propaganda in the face of the lack of electricity and food in Cuba.
Four days after the AKM controversy, a Cuban artist accused him of being a "pawn of the dictatorship". In October 2025, in an interview with Rolling Stone, Rodríguez had stated: "I have never been disappointed" with the Cuban regime, a statement that triggered a wave of criticism regarding the privileges he enjoys while the population suffers the worst crisis in decades.
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