Cancellation Due To T-Shirt

Calle 13’s Residente, whose real name is Rene Perez, is at the center of this particular storm. Reuters reports Juan Manuel Llano, mayor of Colombian city Manizales, told local radio yesterday the performer’s remarks as well as the T-shirt he was wearing were good enough reasons to cancel the group’s January show in his city.

Apparently the T-shirt suggested Colombian President Alvaro Uribe is linked to illegal paramilitary organizations operating in South America.

“It is an insult to Colombians that someone of talent would use this to attack Colombians and especially our president,” Mayor Juan Manuel Llano told local radio. “Manizales has decided under no circumstances or for any reason can this group take part.”

The Colombian concert is the second Calle 13 appearance canceled due to the group’s appearance on the awards program last week. While wearing the now-infamous T-shirt, Residente also uttered a derogatory phrase referring to the mother of the governor of Puerto Rico while criticizing the island’s government for laying off 17,000 workers.

However, San Juan mayor Jorge Santini said it was contracts and not opinions that led to him cancel the group’s Halloween show, claiming no contract had been signed to use Roberto Clemente Coliseum.

Click here to read the complete Reuters article.