Photo via @eltaigerwo

Thalia Ruiz Ramirez 

News Editor

José Manuel Carvajal Zaldívar, known as El Taiger, became a notable Cuban artist and a pioneering voice of cubatón, a genre that fuses reggaeton with traditional Cuban rhythms. However, despite his musical success, he often encountered legal troubles. Authorities arrested him in the summer of 2024 for cocaine possession, later charging him with armed robbery, assault, and resisting an officer. On October 4, 2024, at just 37 years old, someone discovered him in Miami with a gunshot wound to the head, according to BBC. Though he initially survived, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after. Miami police confirmed the case as a homicide investigation, ruling out suicide and leaving the circumstances of his passing shrouded in mystery. The artist’s death has unleashed a wave of reactions from both the Cuban government and the public, reflecting the complex intersections of fame, politics, and the social realities Cubans face.

When news of El Taiger’s critical condition reached Cuba, former Minister of Culture Abel Prieto Jiménez publicly wished him a swift recovery, declaring that “all Cubans” hoped for his well-being, according to El País. Lis Cuesta, the wife of President Miguel Díaz-Canel, also expressed solidarity, condemning violence and noting that “Cuba understands love, never hate.” This public response broke precedent, especially considering the state’s history of ostracising artists. In an unusual move, Cubadebate, a state platform, published an article titled “El Taiger, Life Above Reggaeton.” The article claimed he became “a victim of a violent society like that of the United States,” while omitting mention of Cuba’s rising violence. The article acknowledged his legal troubles but minimised them, instead emphasising his loyalty to Cuban culture. For the Cuban government, shaping the story of a public figure’s life and death allows it to reinforce nationalism and promote unity. The portrayal of El Taiger’s death highlights how the Cuban government controls cultural narratives to divert attention from Cuba’s systemic issues while creating symbols that align with its agenda.

However, the focus on a reggaeton star’s death has felt disconnected from the island’s worsening economic and social crisis. Rampant inflation, daily power outages, and shortages of basic goods, such as food and medicine, rarely reach the news and remain actively censored. According to Diario de las Américas, in Cienfuegos, power outages often stretch for 12 hours a day, while in Pinar del Río, blackouts frequently last over 19 hours continuously. Meanwhile, a doctor’s monthly salary in Cuba ranges between 5,000 and 7,000 Cuban pesos, while a carton of eggs costs between 3,400 and 3,600 pesos, according to Semana.

After Fidel Castro seized power in 1959, he implemented widespread restrictions under his totalitarian socialist regime.  According to the National Women’s History Museum, he shut down nightclubs, claiming they promoted capitalist behaviour. This crackdown impacted artists like Celia Cruz, who, many argue, is someone truly worth mourning. The “Queen of Salsa” was born in Havana in 1925 and played a defining role in popularising salsa music by blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with Latin American styles. She faced significant racial and gender-based discrimination as a dark-skinned Afro-Cuban woman, but rose to international fame, performing across Latin America and recording with New York’s Seeco label. However, Castro’s government nationalised the media, closed venues, and censored artists who refused to support the new regime or held ties to the capitalist USA. Authorities banned Celia Cruz from her own country, repeatedly denying her attempts to visit her homeland, even when her mother lay gravely ill. Heartbroken, she vowed never to return until Cuba freed itself from dictatorship. Although Cuban media censored Cruz’s music celebrating Cuban and African heritage, some courageous fans privately continued listening to her songs, according to the BBC. Nevertheless, she has now disappeared from Cuban history, though, for those in exile, she symbolises the resilience of Cuban identity and freedom.

Meanwhile, the Cuban public displayed passionate solidarity with El Taiger in the days following his death, as he never severed ties with the government and continued to perform in the country despite living in the United States. Diario de Cuba reported that supporters held vigils in Santiago de Cuba, where fans lit candles, sang his songs, and prayed for the artist. Videos showed young people gathering in Santiago’s parks with candles and chanting. In other locations, such as Havana’s Malecón, people gathered discreetly, concealing their candles until they could safely congregate. Supporters argue that his popularity reflects the evolving tastes of Cuban youth and the growing acceptance of reggaeton as a legitimate cultural expression. However, the contrast with their reality raises questions. Other Cubans wonder why do people use the candles they depend on during blackouts to honour a man who, some argue, did nothing to improve the lives of ordinary Cubans. 

Ultimately, El Taiger’s death symbolises the complexities within Cuban society. To some, he will remain a cubatón pioneer bridging Cuban and American music. To others, he represents an oppressive system that restricts true freedom of expression. His death and the reactions it sparked reveal a Cuba where both the government and its people must confront the realities of media control and a society yearning for change.