Local associations report that the Municipal Council of Ciudad Lineal has excluded a concert by Cuban troubadour Orlis Pineda and a performance by the inclusive group Somos Agua from the La Elipa festivities. The City Council maintains that the celebrations should not be used for political messages.
The Municipal Council of Ciudad Lineal, presided over by the councillor from the Popular Party Nadia Álvarez Padilla, has left out of the district's festival programme, which takes place from 5 to 14 September with a focus on the La Elipa neighbourhood, a concert by Cuban troubadour Orlis Pineda and a performance by the inclusive dance group Somos Agua, according to reports from local and cultural groups, as reported by Cubainformación.
The activities had been proposed by the Asociación Cultural Tricolor. Its president, Carlos Gutiérrez, claims that there are "ideological reasons" behind the cancellations and that the entities did not receive explanations from the Municipal Council.
We again demand that municipal officials shift towards a model of popular and truly participatory festivities
The case of Somos Agua dates back to the 2025 festivities, when a representative of the group made a statement of solidarity with Gaza and Palestine from the stage. For the groups, this intervention explains why they have been excluded from this year's programme. As for Pineda, a long-time resident of Vallecas, he is known for his stance against the United States' blockade of Cuba.
The Madrid City Council responds that it is the district councils that design and publish the festival programmes and that these evaluate the proposals from associations that they deem appropriate. The City Council adds that entities are asked to ensure that the festivities are "days of celebration" and that "they are not used to advocate political messages".
The controversy is not limited to these two performances. The groups report that the Council did not allow the installation of the Punto Violeta from the Ciudad Lineal Equality Table. The City Council assures that there will be official violet points, dependent on the Social Policies Area, during Thursday to Saturday nights, but does not authorise the device promoted by the Equality Table itself.
The associations also point out that some new requirements were communicated with barely two weeks' notice before the festivities began and demand the recovery of a festival model in which the entities participate in the organisation.
You may also like
