Cuban singer Emilio Frías addressed questions regarding his friendship with fellow musician Alexander Abreu, who has been accused of supporting the Havana regime. "It's simple, and I don't think anyone can judge me for that. I was never friends with the Cangrejo, nor a colonel, nor anyone who beat people up. I'm friends with an artist," defended the director of the band El Niño y La Verdad, during an interview on the YouTube show El Bafletazo.
El Niño made an analogy with political parties in the United States to express that people can have different thoughts and still maintain a friendship above those political understandings. "Most Cuban artists who have fallen into the game of supporting the dictatorship, redundantly, are not truly with them," he assured.
Frías confessed that if he ever found out that Alexander signed a letter supporting the imprisonment of any person, he would not look at him ever again. "I have never discussed politics with him. I call him and say, 'What's up, my man? How are you?' He came to the United States and told me, 'Where are you? Let's meet up?' And I posted the photo. I don't hide," Frías added in his response.
Last April, the two artists reunited in the United States after not seeing each other for two years. This encounter was immortalized with a photo of both on a yacht in Miami Bay. "He asked me, 'Can we take a photo?' and I said, 'What are you talking about? Do you forget who I am?' I have nothing to hide, and that's what makes people uncertain and gives me the strength to continue being truthful amidst so many lies," the singer reflected on that encounter.
Regarding the behavior of artists in Cuba, his understanding was that many practice a double personality. "When you have your own thing there, you say, why get involved in trouble? That has been the thinking of all Cubans all their lives, folks," he asserted.
Finally, addressing the question, Emilio Frías concluded that: "Alexander Abreu is my friend; I don't know if I am his friend. I admire him as a trumpeter, as Havana D'Primera, which is the greatest popular music band. If he supports communism, which I don't believe, and I say it from here, I don't believe it, but that's my thought. If he supports it, he knows he is wrong."
In the description of the photo posted last April, El Niño assured: "Our feeling is the same and our love too—'Cuban Music.' That is the reason and our union, besides a friendship of more than 10 years. I'm here, and you're there. In Cuba, it's Havana D'Primera. In Miami, it's El Niño y La Verdad."
Emilio Frías and Alexander Abreu: Friendship Amid Controversy
The relationship between Emilio Frías and Alexander Abreu has raised questions and sparked discussions. Here are some common inquiries and their answers:
Why is Alexander Abreu controversial?
Alexander Abreu has been accused of supporting the Cuban regime, which has led to criticism and controversy surrounding his public persona.
How does Emilio Frías justify his friendship with Alexander Abreu?
Emilio Frías justifies his friendship by emphasizing that their relationship is based on mutual respect as artists and not on political beliefs. He maintains that everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
What was the context of their recent reunion?
The recent reunion between Frías and Abreu took place in the United States after two years of not seeing each other. They commemorated the event with a photo on a yacht in Miami Bay.