By José Gandue @Gandour Photo by Oscar Perfer @perferoscar
People confuse terms: There was no censorship here, there was undue fear due to manipulation and threats.
After all, Idartes, the organizing body of Rock al Parque, had announced the presence of Paul Gillman in its 2017 edition, knowing everything about the Venezuelan artist. No one can claim that the Bogotá Mayor's Office lacked information at the time of the contracting process or that Gillman's adherence to the Chavista regime was omitted from his EPK (Permit to Performing Arts). Idartes freely decided to bring Gillman and his group to the festival and advertise it alongside eighteen other bands from around the world. If Idartes had deemed the musician's ideology inappropriate, I simply wouldn't have hired Gillman and nobody would have known.
What happened here was that a businessman, who 22 years ago helped create the festival and ever since he has believed himself to be its owner, He felt hurt at having been excluded from the negotiation by one of the main artistic figures added to this year's lineup and adopted the political card to take revenge. Julio Correal, temporary representative for these lands of Calle 13 and Manu Chao, Musicians who supported Hugo Chavez, in an act of revenge, used their relationships with the media and stirred up the opponents of the current regime in Caracas. «"He warned" (that is, he threatened) to the director of Idartes, telling her that the public order of the festival could be disrupted at the time of Gillman's presentation. That, and I say this assuming the cost of my words, was an act of terrorism. That is why it bothers me that the official in question, instead of standing firm in her decision to defend, above the political interests of one side or the other, and in support of the freedom of expression that Rock al Parque has expressed during its 22 previous editions, He got scared and what everyone has already seen happened. The stubbornness and audacity of a resentful businessman won out, and he used the worst tactics of retribution. I'm not exaggerating, but from that point on, the festival's structural foundations were weakened., setting a dangerous precedent.
I don't see Idartes and its current administration, as some speculators claim, engaging in witch hunts or persecuting groups with specific ideological views. I don't see them saying, for example, that the German band Heaven Shall Burn might be removed from the festival lineup. because he has expressed his solidarity with the progressive movements of Latin America, nor by cancelling the performance of the Chinese group Zhaoze because they are coming from a country whose government persecutes the free expression of its citizens.
However, I see Idartes as an institution that seems to be regressing. at the slightest hint of offending certain sectors or certain individuals. With this decision, Idartes has empowered a character who really doesn't care about politics. Julio Correal is neither right-wing nor left-wing, he is a Correa supporter. All he cares about is his position and his money, and if he doesn't get his cut, he carries out acts of sabotage, without fear of crossing any lines. We saw it in 1997, when he was dismissed from his position at the festival by the Mockus administration, and with his statements he tried to kill the festival. We saw it in 2004, in his poor role as commercial manager of the event, Where, due to all his failed sales strategies, the cost of Rock al Parque increased, and the mayor's office had to absorb the resulting financial disaster, disrupting the budgets of several public institutions until the end of that year. Yes, this was the same person Idartes believed when they decided to drop a confirmed artist., creating perhaps the most awkward situation in the history of the festival.
Idartes will not change its position regarding Gillman, despite everything that has been written and the protests of many Rock al Parque fans. We are told that Gillman's invitation was simply postponed, all parties knowing that this is not true. The delay and subsequent inaccuracy of the statement issued by the public institution has upset a large portion of Bogotá's rock scene. With only a few weeks to go before the festival, Discomfort may increase and confidence in the event may decline. What to do now? This can hardly be solved by bringing in another artist and plugging the gap. Or by playing dumb, believing that if nothing is said, time will sort everything out. Idartes' management must remember that Rock al Parque is a public festival that goes beyond music. It's an event that has helped build coexistence in a violent city and should transcend the conveniences and ideological expressions of its participants. Although it may seem insufficient, given the concerns about the safety of those attending the event if Gillman is present, At least they should give him the opportunity to debate., in any of the festival's forums, with his detractors, to somehow reach peaceful solutions. Gillman, whom we've already said is not our favorite musician by any means, should still participate in the festival in some way, while the announced "postponement" of his show is being honored.
These kinds of irresponsible actions cannot be allowed to happen again. It is Idartes' job to end the feeling that Rock al Parque has become a censorious and discriminatory event, and that cannot be solved with half-measures.
