Undeserved Honors and Lack of Civic Honesty

Leonardo Calvo Cárdenas Historian and Political Scientist Havana, Cuba

A t the end of last year, many of us were impacted by the news of the recognition to the selfproclaimed Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonso as Illustrious Daughter of The Hamel Alley. The nonagenarian foundress and everlasting director of the National Ballet of Cuba( NBC) received such a recognition from a cultural project located in a paradigmatic space within the cultural and historical Havanan environment. The move caused great surprise, because this space is closely related to popular culture and, especially, to the Afro tradition. Salvador Gonzales, a visual artist and cultural promoter, has been leading this project for years, using the Afro-Cuban culture for selling to foreign visitors a manipulated image of both the Cuban history and the social reality. He proceeds with invariable loyalty to the regime and so he gets juicy personal benefits. In an unacceptable, but not so surprising way, Salvador and his acolytes have granted another title to a figure who stands out in her long life and professional career for her visceral racism and contempt for everything related to the Afro Cuban culture. For many years of unconditional fidelity, a high price must be paid. The Council of State recently decided, on an exceptional basis, to give the name

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