Cuban singer, songwriter, and TV host Amaury Pérez Vidal recently addressed alleged criticism regarding his international travels with a sarcastic message on social media. "Here we are in North Korea, a place that, according to some commenters, is one of the few destinations where Cubans who choose to remain in Cuba should travel to. We perform in military units, communist rice factories, and even at a Special Uranium Enrichment Center," Amaury quipped.
He shared a picture of himself and his wife in a winter landscape, adding, "The clothes, since it's freezing here, were rented from the Kim Son Il Consolidated Communist Textile Company and had to be returned. As we've never worked, surviving on state subsidies, we didn't have a cent to our name. The trip was funded by the benevolent Communist Cultural Workers Union."
His post was a politically charged joke. The artist later apologized to his followers, noting that the current situation in Cuba inspired this peculiar jest. "We've never been, nor will we ever go to North Korea, but according to some, that's where we should travel. It's ridiculous. (...) Apologies for the joke. These days, laughter is the perfect remedy for the soul's ills," he explained.
A Temporary Social Media Hiatus
In a previous post, Amaury announced his possible absence from social media due to a nationwide blackout in Cuba and asked his fans to keep the island in their prayers. "Friends: If I'm not online in the coming days, you'll know why. We will endure this blackout affecting the entire country. Pray for Cuba. May God be with us," he stated.
Upon his return to social media, his posts were filled with sarcasm, despite no visible comments suggesting he should travel to North Korea. "We hope no one takes offense this time because we went where we supposedly belong, so everyone should be happy. Have a great and Asian Tuesday," the singer-songwriter remarked.
His page was flooded with messages of peace and love. It seems that on his platform, no one disagrees; people find humor in the communist dynamics and dream from Havana of visiting Pyongyang.