The Miami Herald
Sep. 18, 2002

Cuba: U.S. government has not granted visas to Cuban artists

  HAVANA - (AP) -- Cuba charged that the U.S. government has not granted visas to 22 Cuban artists nominated for Latin Grammys, which will be broadcast from Los Angeles Wednesday evening.

  Vice Culture Minister Abel Acosta said the delegation had planned to travel to Los Angeles last Friday but as of Tuesday night still hadn't received word about visas, effectively preventing the group from attending the awards ceremony.

  The musicians included jazz pianist Chucho Valdes, members of the group Sintesis, guitarist Rey Guerra and rapper X Alfonso.

  Officials at the U.S. Interests Section, the American mission here, could not be immediately reached for comment after hours on Tuesday. The State Department in
  Washington declined to comment. And telephone calls to the Latin Recording Academy, which puts on the awards ceremony, were not immediately returned on Tuesday evening.

  Acosta told reporters about the artists' inability to obtain visas during a small ceremony held to deliver the small golden gramophones awarded to Cuban artists last
  year, when the gala ceremony was canceled after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

  The awards Cuban artists won last year arrived here from Los Angeles last week and went to producers Cary Diez and Joaquin Betancourt for the recording ''La Rumba soy yo,'' of Bis-Music. The Latin Grammys honor a range of Latin music styles, such as flamenco and ranchera.

  Acosta charged that the visa issue was aimed at ''limiting the cultural exchange'' between Americans and Cubans.

  While the American government has denied U.S. visas to prominent Cubans in the past, those denials have been reserved mostly for senior officials in Fidel Castro's government. Cultural figures usually obtain U.S. visas without problems.

  But in recent months, such visas have been increasingly denied to other high-profile Cubans who do not hold senior government jobs.

  Last year's ceremony at first was to be held in Miami, but was moved to Los Angeles because of fears Cuban exile protesters would threaten the safety of performers and attendees. It was ultimately cancelled after the terrorist attacks.

  Latin Grammy organizers had considered holding the inaugural show in Miami in 2000 as well, but civic leaders rejected the idea because Cuban artists would be part of the event. That first show was held in Los Angeles.

  The traditional Grammy awards, given each February, do recognize some of the better known Latin music genres such as salsa and merengue. But the Latin Grammys recognize a wider and more specialized range of Latin music styles, such as flamenco and ranchera.