The Cuban comedian José Carlos Pérez, Carlucho, responded from Madrid to the controversy sparked by the presenter Carlos Otero, who publicly stated that he would never work with him again.
In an interview with journalist Tania Costa that Carlucho himself requested to postpone in order not to respond "in the heat of the moment," the comedian answered the question of how many friends have turned out to be disappointments, stating that he does not seek "perfect friends."
"I only look for friends. I have made mistakes too. I have erred as well. I have failed too," he acknowledged, visibly moved.
However, when asked if he would forgive Otero if he apologized, Carlucho was straightforward: "It is not up to me to grant forgiveness, but I am not the one who judges. Carlos Otero is a man who does not need me, and with God's favor, I do not need him either."
In all this, he confesses that what bothers him the most is the specific targeting of him. "It really bothers me that I'm the only person you don’t want to work with when you've worked with so many traitors of the Cuban people, with so many people who continue to deceive the Cuban people. Is it me? Am I really the problem? Well, I’m the chosen one," he said, addressing Otero.
Carlucho also issued an implicit challenge, calling for an investigation into who would want to work with Carlos Otero, and mentioned the names of Ana Lidia Méndez and César Leal as potential witnesses.
Regarding what happened between them, the comedian was deliberately brief: "A curtain fell on a person," he simply stated, leaving the phrase hanging without providing concrete details.
The journalist recalled that Carlucho sought out Otero when he left Cuba and helped him secure a contract worth one million dollars, as well as gifting him a car.
Carlucho did not deny the events, but he downplayed them emphatically: "Do you really think that I hold in my treasure chest of memories the idea that there was a million dollars and a gifted car? Do you think that truly influences me?"
For him, what truly mattered was something else: "The most important thing is that his children grew up in freedom. The most important thing is that he experienced a different system."
Carlucho also made it clear that if he were called to a stage in defense of Cuban political prisoners or against the dictatorship, he would go up regardless of who was present, although he doubted that Carlos Otero would do the same for the Cuban cause.
The comedian concluded his stance with a declaration of personal independence: "I have no need to work with Carlos Otero, or with anyone. I am the entrepreneur of my own life. I am the captain of my ship. I am responsible for all my mistakes and for some successes."
Carlucho has scheduled a show at the Teatro Las Vegas in Madrid on May 3rd, alongside Robertico, his partner in the group Los Bufomaníacos, in an artistic reunion after 25 years apart.
If you want to buy tickets, click here.
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