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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 29 January 2020
Ricky Martin finds inspiration in Puerto Rico protests

By DANICA COTO The elections come in No-
Associated Press vember and I am certain,
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) certain, that the people will
— Ricky Martin's wide smile rise up more than ever."
began to fade as the Puer- Martin's upcoming album
to Rican superstar talked is not the one he original-
about his next album. ly envisioned. He said he
It's influenced by the U.S. was going through a very
territory's political turmoil as romantic period in his life
people struggle to recover when he began recording,
from Hurricane Maria and but all that changed when
a recent 6.4 magnitude the 2019 protests in Puerto
earthquake that killed one Rico erupted. The demon-
person and destroyed hun- strations were fed by anger
dreds of homes amid a 13- over corruption and over
year recession. the way the government
"I'm going to use my mu- responded to Hurricane
sic to carry the message Maria, the September 2017
of all those who aren't be- storm that wreaked havoc
ing heard," he told The As- on the island, killing an es-
sociated Press on Monday timated 2,975 people in its
while preparing for a con- aftermath.
cert on his native island. Martin participated in the
The 48-year-old father of demonstrations alongside Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin, who will perform in concert starting next Feb. 7 at the Puerto Rico
four children joined in the other artists and found a Coliseum Jose Miguel Agrelot, poses for a portrait in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020.
big demonstrations last new idea for the album. Associated Press
year that led Ricardo Ros- "When I returned to the stu-
selló to resign as the island's dio, everything that I had who simply were not being "What I've always wanted is island afterward. Others
governor, and although he done musically expired heard." a woman to have the right have posted online mes-
hasn't been at the most re- because I had poetic ma- One of the album's songs to do whatever she wants sages asking that he stay
cent protests against cur- terial in my head to share is the newly released single with her body," he said. "I'm out of the island's affairs.
rent Gov. Wanda Vázquez, with the world after what "Tiburones," which means always going to defend Martin remains unfazed.
he has gone on social happened in the streets of "sharks" in Spanish. The vid- that." "I shouldn't be interested
media urging her to step Puerto Rico," he said. eo was shot in Puerto Rico Some have criticized Mar- in Puerto Rico because I
down. Martin said the album will and shows a woman face tin's involvement in the 2019 don't live in Puerto Rico?"
"It would be an act of jus- be titled "Movimiento" and to face with police in riot protests and his recent he asked. "To the contrary.
tice for our island," he said will contain 12 songs. gear. Around her neck is a comments regarding the I believe that not being
in a video Thursday. "There "In all of them, I will in some green kerchief that Martin current government's re- on the island has made
are no immediate legal way express everything said was the actress' idea sponse to the earthquake me appreciate my culture
mechanisms for you and that I experienced," he to wear and one he fully and strong aftershocks, ac- more, appreciate my peo-
your entire team to leave said, alluding to the dem- supports since it symbolizes cusing him of being an op- ple more, my language,
and pay for all our suffer- onstrations. "All of the sto- the fight for a woman's right portunist and of riling peo- my music, where I come
ing. But I have good news. ries I heard from people to have an abortion. ple up only to leave the from."q

‘American Dirt’ Latino backlash part of long publishing war

Continued from Page 29 Erika Sanchez and Sandra TV special in March.
Cisneros. In a statement, Sanchez,
“It’s also coming at a time Then Oprah Winfrey of- author of “I Am Not Your
when Latinos are more fered one of publishing’s Perfect Mexican Daugh-
sensitive and critical read- most cherished honors: ter,” said Monday that she
ers,” she said. “We can go endorsement for her book blurbed the book only af-
to social media and ex- club. Some Latino celeb- ter she saw that Cummins
press it.” rities posted selfies with identified as Puerto Rican.
Gurba accused the big the book; Mexican-born “What’s resulted is not at
publishers of “librotraffick- actress Salma Hayek later all what I expected, obvi-
ing,” comparing them to apologized for promoting ously,” Sanchez said, add-
a cartel that controls who “American Dirt” without ing that she was taking a
gets to tell Latino stories. having read it after she break from social media.
Her scathing review of was attacked on social Latino critics say ``Ameri-
“American Dirt,” in which media. can Dirt’’ contains stereo-
she accuses Cummins of In this Jan. 7, 2020 file photo, actress Salma Hayek attends the In a video posted last types, incorrect regional
world premiere of "Like a Boss" at the SVA Theatre in New York.
appropriating works by La- Hayek is apologizing for promoting a controversial new novel, weekend on Instagram, slang, and cultural inac-
tinos, went viral. Jeanine Cummins' “American Dirt,” without actually reading it. Winfrey said she now re- curacies.
“American Dirt,” published Numerous Mexican-American writers have called “American alizes the book struck “an Still, Latino anger hit a
last week, tells the story of Dirt” an ill-informed narrative about Mexico that reinforces emotional chord” with La- crescendo on social me-
a Mexican woman and stereotypes. tinos and created a need dia after Gurba posted
her 8-year-old son fleeing Associated Press for deeper conversation. an image of a release
to the U.S. border after a in the top 10 on Amazon. authors ranging from John Winfrey wants to hold a party from last year that
drug cartel kills the rest of com for the past week, Grisham and Stephen King discussion on the politics featured barbed wire
their family. It has been and has been praised by to noted Latina authors of publishing for an Apple centerpieces.q