Argentine Music Icon And Peace Activist Facundo Cabral Killed In Guatemala

[Judi Lynn]

Argentine Music Icon And Peace Activist Facundo Cabral Killed In Guatemala
07:32 pm July 9, 2011
by Jasmine Garsd

Argentine singer, songwriter and novelist Facundo Cabral was shot and killed in Guatemala City early this morning. He had just finished a concert in the nation's capital and was headed to the airport by car. Eyewitnesses say he was ambushed en route by three vehicles and gunned down on the nearly empty highway. According to the witnesses, the attackers fled on a road leading to the Guatemalan border with El Salvador.

Cabral rose to fame in the early 1970s, when almost all of Latin America was in the grip of brutally repressive dictatorships. He belonged to a wave of singers who mixed political protest with music. Cabral became internationally known for the song "No Soy De Aquí Ni Allá" ("I Am Neither From Here Nor There"), which reflected the conflicted feelings of many Latin Americans at the time: an admiration for the free-spirit hippie ideology, even as they were being attacked in their own countries.

When Jorge Rafael Vidala's dictatorship rose to power in Argentina in 1976, Cabral was forced into exile in Mexico, where he continued composing music. In 1996, he was named an international messenger of peace by UNESCO.

The motives for this morning's shooting remain unclear. Guatemala has one of Latin America's highest murder rates. The Guatemalan government has stated that this was a planned attack, and that an investigation is already underway. Guatemalan President Álvaro Colom has personally reached out to President Cristina Kirchner of Argentina.

More:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/altlatino/2011/07/09/137730266/argentine-music-icon-and-peace-activist-facundo-cabral-killed-in-guatemala?ft=1&f=1039

[rabs]

1. Facundo Cabral was a "collateral" victim

The attack was directed at the driver of the vehicle, Henry Fariña, a Nicaraguan business man who is reputed to be involved in prostitution, money laundering, arms and narco-trafficking. It was an organized attack against Fariña and Facundo just happened to be in the wrong place.

Fariña is the one who organized Facundo's two concerts in Guatemala this week.

Facundo had originally planned to take a hotel shuttle to the airport, but Fariña offered him a ride instead, which Facundo accepted. Fariña's bodyguards were in a second vehicle but could not prevent the attack. Facundo was hit in the head, Fariña was hit three times in the torso.

If Fariña recovers from his wounds, he will be interrogated and the motive for the attack against him may become known.

Facundo's death is frontpage news all over Latin America. In Argentina, it put a damper on the July 9 Independence Day celebration among the artistic community. Guatemala has declared three days of mourning.

Artists from around the world expressed their dismay. Hugo Chavez and Rafa Correa sent messages of condolence, among other political leaders.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Shocking. I was wondering if it could have been right-wing enemies still mad

he didn't support their coup and torture, and mass murders when they held complete power earlier.

Criminals shooting another criminal who just happened to offer him a lift to the airport.

Horrendous to think he did so much to speak out against monsters so courageously, only to be murdered by criminals trying to murder a criminal sitting near him.

Hope they get to the bottom of this.

Too bad they can't undo the criminals' idiocy which too his life.

I found a photo of the scum Henry Fariña.

http://imgs.laprensa.com.ni.nyud.net:8090/2011/07/288x318_1310268895_100711por_Henry%20Fari%C3%B1a.jpg
What a shame.

[flamingdem]

3. How horrible, simply bad luck for him, so sad nt

[Judi Lynn]

4. Prez: Organized crime behind folk singer slaying

Jul 11, 11:33 AM EDT
Prez: Organized crime behind folk singer slaying

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) -- Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom says organized criminals are behind the attack that killed beloved Argentina folk singer Facundo Cabral.

Colom says gunmen were after Nicaraguan businessmen Henry Farinas, who was driving Cabral to the airport when they were ambushed Saturday. Cabral died at the scene. Farinas was wounded and is in serious condition

Colom doesn't say which organize crime group could be involved.

Colom tells Mexico's MVS Radio on Monday that police haven't been able to interview Farinas yet.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_GUATEMALA_CABRAL_SLAYING?SECTION=HOME&SITE=AP&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT