The Cuban regime's oppressive grip on critical art has struck again, as the State Security and the National Council of Performing Arts of Cuba (CNAE) have censored the play Acción #14 Las Brujas Uruguay by the theater group El Ciervo Encantado. The premiere, directed by Nelda Castillo with stage direction by Lázaro and César Saavedra, was scheduled for this Friday, August 2nd, at the theater group's venue in Vedado.
Lázaro Saavedra, National Prize for Visual Arts 2014, announced the censorship on his Facebook profile. "Dear friends, I inform you that after going through the 'censorship committee' and days of 'push and pull', the State Security, in collusion with the current direction of the National Council of Performing Arts, has just censored the play Acción #14 Las Brujas Uruguay, which was planned for this Friday at El Ciervo Encantado," he wrote.
The cancellation of the premiere was also confirmed by Mariela Brito, an actress from El Ciervo Encantado. This repressive act "adds to the covert censorship of Madres, which is still 'postponed' by the CNAE," Saavedra stated in his post, referring to the indefinite "postponement" of that play by the CNAE, the Ministry of Culture, and the State Security, which prevented its premiere on July 12th.
The Observatory of Cultural Rights (ODC), an independent organization monitoring cultural rights in Cuba, also denounced the "censorship scheme" that the CNAE applies to the theater group, which has become a thorn in the side of the Cuban regime. "Now it’s about Acción #14 Las Brujas Uruguay, whose premiere was scheduled for this Friday, August 2nd. 'Due to content disagreements with the institution,' reads the profile of El Ciervo Encantado on Facebook," the ODC noted in a statement on its social media page.
The observatory condemned "this new violation of cultural rights in Cuba," while also informing relevant international institutions and organizations focused on the protection and defense of culture about the case.
El Ciervo Encantado also faced repression against their freedom of expression and artistic creation in April 2023, when the Ministry of Culture banned the screening of films by three Cuban filmmakers at their venue in Vedado: the documentaries La Habana de Fito by Juan Pin Vilar, Existen by Fernando Fraguela and Yulier Rodríguez, and the docufiction El encargado by Ricardo Figueredo.
Censorship in Cuban Arts: Key Questions Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the recent censorship of the play Acción #14 Las Brujas Uruguay by El Ciervo Encantado and the broader context of artistic repression in Cuba.
Why was Acción #14 Las Brujas Uruguay censored?
The play was censored due to alleged "content disagreements" with the State Security and the National Council of Performing Arts, reflecting the Cuban regime's ongoing suppression of critical artistic expressions.
Who directed Acción #14 Las Brujas Uruguay?
The play was directed by Nelda Castillo, with stage direction by Lázaro and César Saavedra.
What other works by El Ciervo Encantado have been censored?
The play Madres has also faced indefinite postponement by the CNAE, the Ministry of Culture, and State Security. Additionally, screenings of films by Cuban filmmakers were banned at their venue in April 2023.