Cuban lawmaker Arnaldo Rodríguez Romero, who leads the band Arnaldo and His Talisman, concluded the People's Combatant March this past Friday with an eerie concert held on Havana's Malecón, drawing in a sparse crowd of barely a hundred attendees. A video shared on social media captured a moment from the performance of this musician, who is a well-known advocate of the Cuban regime, offering a panoramic view of the plaza and the stage set up for the occasion.
The scarcity of the audience was glaringly obvious at the venue. Nevertheless, Rodríguez Romero posted a video on his social media, claiming it was from his alleged Saturday performance, visibly showing a larger crowd. Analyzing both recordings reveals discrepancies in the stage, attire, and other details, reinforcing the suspicion that Rodríguez Romero manipulated the reality and shared images that did not reflect his appearance at the propagandistic event.
Lighting was one of the clues suggesting that the deputy misrepresented reality on his social media. While his video shows a structure brightly illuminating the stage with numerous spotlights, such a setup is absent in the footage captured by a social media user. Another revealing aspect is the clothing; in Rodríguez Romero’s post, he dons a colorful short-sleeved shirt, whereas in the user's video, he's in a light brown long-sleeved jacket.
The turnout for Arnaldo and His Talisman's concert mirrored that of the People's Combatant March, orchestrated by leader Miguel Díaz-Canel to close the fourth ordinary session of the National Assembly of People's Power (ANPP). Despite the Cuban regime's claims that over half a million people attended, images shared by Cuban social media users showed a far smaller turnout, estimated by analysts between 30,000 and 50,000, less than 10% of the regime's declared figures.
The regime's increasing tendency to distort facts and the eagerness of some to engage in this deception is starkly evident in the grotesque display of a crumbling government. Rodríguez Romero, representing Morón, Ciego de Ávila, is among those artists aligning with the narrative of a totalitarian communist regime, turning a blind eye to the growing chorus demanding change in Cuba. His allegiance to the corrupt and manipulative elite that rules through violence is becoming more apparent, leading to the public's retreat from his musical offerings, now seen as aligned with the oppressors of the dictatorship.
Key Insights on Arnaldo and His Talisman's Concert Controversy
What was the audience size for Arnaldo's concert on the Malecón?
The concert by Arnaldo and His Talisman on Havana's Malecón was attended by only about a hundred people, significantly fewer than expected.
How did Arnaldo Rodríguez Romero misrepresent his concert on social media?
Rodríguez Romero shared a video on social media showing a different crowd and stage setup, suggesting a larger audience than was actually present at the event.
What was the regime's claim about the People's Combatant March attendance?
The Cuban regime claimed that the People's Combatant March had an attendance of over half a million people, although social media evidence suggested much lower numbers.