Arena officials lift ban on Cuban band's concert

The Associated Press

09.17.99

Printer-friendly page

	Debbie Ohanian of the Starfish Salsa Club in Miami Beach, Fla., answers reporters questions as American Civil Liberties Union of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon looks on during a news conference Sept. 16

MIAMI — Cuban dance band Los Van Van will wind up its U.S. tour with a concert in Miami after a deal announced yesterday that apparently defused a political battle started by anti-Castro exiles.

The settlement was announced by the band's promoter and the American Civil Liberties Union, who last weekend accused Miami officials of strong-arming arena managers into canceling Los Van Van's Oct. 9 concert.

Los Van Van was scheduled to end its five-week U.S. tour at the city-owned James L. Knight Center. But arena managers canceled the concert Sept. 10, two days after the concert announcement enraged Cuban exiles that want no contact with a Cuba governed by Fidel Castro.

"As a result of very fruitful and very cordial discussions with ... the managers of the Knight center, the concert by Los Van Van will take place in the city of Miami" on Oct. 11, said Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU's Florida branch.

Simon said theater managers were still demanding insurance papers and Treasury Department documents showing Los Van Van is touring the country legally.

The documents will be submitted and the concert deal finalized by next week, says Miami attorney Oscar Sanchez, who helped negotiate the deal.

"Because of the nature and the publicity of this event, they are requiring certain additional insurance be provided to the James L. Knight Center in the event that some unfortunate event should occur," Sanchez said. "It's additional insurance over and above what they would normally require of concert promoters."

Mayor Joe Carollo and city commissioners were deluged with objections from anti-Castro constituents after the concert was announced. Local Spanish-language radio stations voiced opposition to the show and urged listeners to flood City Hall with phone calls.

Carollo and City Commissioner Tomas Regalado, both Cuban born, also made radio appearances denouncing the concert.

Los Van Van's New York-based record label, Havana Caliente, concert promoter Debbie Ohanian and the ACLU said the cancellation denied freedom of expression guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution and threatened to sue the city.

"This is a victory for First Amendment principles of freedom of expression in Miami," said Simon. "It is a victory for this artistic group to be able to perform.

"But it is a victory for the people of Miami to be able to hear this musical group, especially ... for people of Cuban descent, who can hear the developments of their own culture."

At issue has been whether Los Van Van is violating the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba. Cuban bands are permitted to perform in the United States under cultural exchange exemptions, but may not profit from the concerts.

The Knight Center managers said promoters failed to provide documentation that the band was meeting the law when they canceled the concert.

In fact, Los Van Van's 26-city tour, which began Sept. 3 in Denver, already has State Department and Immigration and Naturalization Service approval.

Promoter Ohanian said she was thrilled the concert would go on.

"This is music that's popular all over the country now. And we are part of the United States of America, and we should not be denied the right to go see this group or any other group," she said.

Relatedd

• Cuban band's backers promise to fight Miami cancellation 9.14.99