Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Four Terrorists Settled in Miami Detained in Cuba

Forces from the Cuban Interior Ministry detained four Cuban-born citizens settling in Miami, when planned to execute terrorist actions. A note from the Interior Ministry says the detention took place on April 26, and the detainees are named Jose Ortega Amador, Obdulio Rodriguez Gonzalez, Raibel Pacheco Santos and Felix Monzon Alvarez. According to reports, the detainees recognized they pretended to attack military facilities with the objective of promoting violence. For such purposes, three of them had travelled many times to the island since 2013 to study and model the execution. They also said those plans have been led by terrorists Santiago Alvarez Fernandez Magriña, Osvaldo Mitat, and Manuel Alzugaray, who also live in Miami and maintain a close relation with infamous terrorist Luis Posada Carriles. The Cuban Interior Ministry stated that the country is carrying out the necessary arrangements with U.S. authorities to investigate the facts and timely avoid that the performance of terrorist elements and organizations settled in that northern nation endanger the life of people and security of both nations. / Taken from Prensa Latina

Friday, May 2, 2014

Deepest sorrow over the passing of Juan Formell

With deep sorrow, cultural authorities of Cuba's announced the death of Juan Formell, founder and director of the popular band Los Van Van, who for his career received the National Music Prize and the Latino Granmy for Musical Excellence. The death of renowned arranger, composer, singer and record producer leaves a void in popular dance music, to which he contributed with the creation of “songo” and the rhythm of " buey cansao”, remembered by generations of Cubans. Formell was born in Havana on August 2, 1942 and received his early education from his father Francisco Formell. But later he continued his music studies by self-taught. His artistic career was marked by his entry into the Revé Orchestra, led by Elio Reve, who in his own words, taught Formell much of what he would later apply in the group he formed and named Los Van Van. During his more than five decades of professional life, Formell recorded more than 20 albums and received several laurels, including the Grammy Award for his CD "Llegó... Van Van" (Van Van is here). In 1999 and 2010 he received an honorary doctorate from the Higher Institute of Arts in recognition of his contributions to Cuban culture.