Like every November, Havana is transformed into a huge dance floor. This year marks the seventeenth edition of “ Bailar in Cuba » took place from Monday, November 20th to Friday, November 24th. Hundreds of dancers from around forty countries came to take around fifteen hours of salsa lessons “a lo cubano” – for beginners, intermediate and advanced – given by experienced teachers who were trained in large salsa schools. Art of the country or simply dancing for fun in an enchanting setting, in various hotels in the capital, such as the chic Melia Habana Hotel. In addition to salsa classes, participants were also able to experience other dance styles such as Yoruba, Casino, Mambo, Son, Tímba and Chachacha.
Photo Jacques Lanctôt
Every evening, for three hours, participants were treated to concerts by internationally renowned orchestras such as Aragon, Havana D’Primera, Los Van Van or Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, etc. at the El Sauce cultural center in the Miramar district, where all “students” are invited, Putting into practice what you have learned throughout the day. Six days in a 4 or 5 star hotel, dancing salsa and vibing to the rhythms of catchy Caribbean music, for less than a thousand (American) dollars, might be tempting for next year.
Photo Jacques Lanctôt
This year the event is dedicated to the memory of the creator of Chachacha, this dance very popular in the 1950s, which the youngest among you did not know but which, for the older ones, marked our entry into the world of dance as a couple. to exotic music.
Photo Jacques Lanctôt
Argentina has just turned the corner
“Back up,” the bus drivers shouted at the time. Argentina has just fallen behind the mirror, into the great void, by electing a right-wing extremist president in the runoff election last Sunday: Javier Milei, the man with the chainsaw. We call him that because he wasn’t afraid to appear in the media with a chainsaw in his hand to signal that if we elected him he would cut all ministries and privatize everything that had been nationalized, including the Oil industry lays off thousands of officials, closes the central bank and establishes the dollar as the national currency. In short, any progress Argentina has made in recent years will quickly be wiped out by shouting “Milei.”
Photo Jacques Lanctôt
The military torturers who shamelessly murdered opponents during the military dictatorship will be pardoned and all traces of those dark years will be erased, just as the memory of a hard drive is erased. In addition, Milei rushed to appoint a minister of defense and public security who has always expressed sympathy for former dictator Jorge Videla. It’s promising. Relations with Lula’s Brazil and Maduro’s Venezuela will undoubtedly suffer. And alignment with the United States is guaranteed.
Photo Jacques Lanctôt
As expected, Milei managed to attract media attention with her well-staged outbursts. Everything was carefully calculated. His high visibility worked in his favor, regardless of the message he conveyed. Of course, there were objective conditions for people to express their dissatisfaction in such confusing ways. The economic crisis hit the population hard and the one who ran for president at the head of the progressive forces was the very outgoing finance minister who was responsible for this inflation. Populism has won.
Photo Jacques Lanctôt
If I talk to you about Argentina, it is because there is a real danger of such a demagogue emerging in Quebec and Canada at the head of a far-right party, promising much through cuts in spending and social programs. Argentina’s example, like Trump’s, can spread among our neighbors to the south.
