Rawayana Excursion Canceled in Venezuela

Venezuelan band Rawayana introduced Tuesday evening (Dec. 3) that its excursion scheduled for this month in Venezuela used to be canceled, two days after President Nicolas Maduro criticized its fresh hit “Veneka” as an insult to Venezuelan girls.

The announcement additionally comes months after the trippy-pop staff brazenly expressed its stance in opposition to the Maduro govt following the disputed July 28 presidential election.

“Our Venezuela excursion CANCELED,” Rawayana wrote in a publish on Instagram, explaining that ”that is how we are saying good-bye to our nation till additional realize. Our song isn’t made to divide.” The band additionally thanked its fans and requested them to be searching for price tag refunds.

“At some point we’ll get in combination once more. Now watch us triumph over the sector!” added the band, which simply ultimate month received its first Latin Grammy, for absolute best pop music for “Feriado,” and won a Grammy nomination for absolute best Latin rock or choice album for ¿Quién Trae Las Cornetas?

Rawayana’s canceled live shows in Venezuela have been scheduled for Dec. 13-29, and incorporated dates in Caracas, Mérida, San Cristóbal, Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Lechería and Margarita Island.

It used to be no longer specified if the gang canceled the excursion, or if it used to be the federal government. “For safety problems and coverage of our allies, I don’t need to give statements,” Rawayana frontman Alberto “Beto” Montenegro instructed Billboard Español Wednesday (Dec. 4). “What is clear doesn’t require a lot clarification.”

On Sunday (Dec. 1), all the way through a speech at an tournament known as Toma de Caracas, Maduro fiercely criticized Rawayana’s music “Veneka,” which has given a favorable tone to a time period regarded as derogatory. The music additionally turned into a viral hit on social media since its October free up. “The ladies of Venezuela are known as dignity, admire and are known as Venezuelans, they don’t seem to be venekas,” Maduro stated. “The crowd that made that music as insulting, as derogatory, as terrible as ‘Veneka,’ screwed up.”

In July, when the Venezuelan electoral authority declared Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the votes (despite the fact that it has no longer proven the paperwork that improve the consequences), the opposition denounced irregularities within the depend and claimed that its candidate, Edmundo González, had acquired virtually 70% of the votes, Rawayana used to be a few of the many Venezuelan artists in exile who reacted to the political state of affairs of their nation.

“Venezuela has been dwelling a super fraud for a few years … an ideological, ethical and moral fraud,” Montenegro instructed Billboard on the time. “Sadly we don’t seem to be shocked via every other electoral fraud, we now have already noticed all of it.”

Rawayana’s Tuesday evening publish — which along with the transient observation additionally contains pictures of the band’s early days in Venezuela, on the Latin Grammy pink carpet and functioning at an enormous live performance — generated dozens of reactions from main names in leisure, media and politics.

“A brand new announcement might be quickly. In Freedom!!!” opposition chief María Corina Machado, who has been below coverage since August because of threats in opposition to her integrity, wrote within the feedback segment.

Danny Ocean, Elena Rose and Mau y Ricky — who have been featured at the October quilt of Billboard Español‘s Track from Exile: Venezuelan Voices In finding Function within the Combat for Their Nation — additionally answered to their compatriots’ announcement.

“Quickly you are going to sing and we can all cross to be there with you,” expressed Danny.

“There is not any darkness that may prevent the affection we need to give to our nation. Quickly we can be again. For now with religion, we cross on,” wrote Elena Rose.

Mau and Ricky, who had deliberate to proportion the level with Rawayana for his or her first efficiency of their local nation, wrote: “We had the semblance of going up there to sing with you for the primary time there. Our dream will come true!!!! Sending hugs.”

In the US, the band — up for a Grammy on the Feb. 2 rite — is showed for Coachella 2025, which is able to happen at the weekends of April 11-13 and 18-20 in Indio, Calif.

Take a look at Rawayana’s observation at the excursion cancellation beneath: