Fuego Cuban Music Festival Canceled a Week After Its Announcement UPDATE

Fuego Entertainment's president and CEO Hugo Cancio.

​Cuban music aficionados and lovers of el cubaneo in general had reason to rumba in front of their computer screens last Wednesday when Fuego Entertainment dropped the news that it'd be producing the first-ever Fuego Cuban Music World Festival.

But elation at the promise of this one-of-a kind music fest, which Fuego was billing as the "Cuban Woodstock," was to be short lived, as word got out yesterday that the festival has been canceled.

UPDATE: Fuego CEO Hugo Cancio and Homestead-Miami Speedway president Matthew Becherer comment on the cancellation.

Fuego had designs on an April 9 date at the Homestead Miami International Speedway, with an all-star lineup featuring some of Cuba's greatest musicians, including legendary timba band Juan Formell y Los Van Van, David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera, Isaac Delgado, Habana Abierta, and Timbalive. Unfortunately, some of these artists still reside in Cuba.

Last year, Miami saw shows including Los Van Van and Omara Portuondo. Yet despite continued efforts by the Obama administration to initiate more open cultural relations with Cuba, the Homestead Speedway reportedly halted plans on the basis that Fuego Entertainment purportedly stepped outside the terms of agreement with the venue by announcing this talent lineup, and further citing that the promotion of Cuban artists here in South Florida was a blow to the exile community living here.

Follow Crossfade on Facebook and Twitter @Crossfade_SFL.