by the news services of El Reportero
Writer Ulises Juárez Polanco, considered among the “25 best-kept secrets in Latin America”, died on Aug. 28 of this year for unknown causes, his relatives said.
Juárez, 33, and author of four story collections, was found dead in his home in Managua.
Friends and family said he apparently died of heart problems but this was not confirmed by the authorities of the Institute of Forensic Medicine.
In 2011 the Guadalajara International Book Fair named him among the 25 best-kept secrets of Latin America, thanks to his project of drawing a route of letters through 25 voices and languages to decipher the current situation of the region.
Author of Happiness left us scars, Juárez had been awarded a scholarship in Mexico by the Program of Artistic Residencies for Creators of Ibero-America and Haiti in Mexico.
He also received the Valle-Inclán Scholarship from the Art, Education and Culture program for a stay at the Royal Spanish Academy in Rome.
Juárez founded and directed the Central American Cultural Magazine Carátula, the literary magazine of the Nicaraguan Writers Center, El Hilo Azul, and the editorial Leteo Ediciones.
Writers, actors and other artistic world guilds of Hispano-America expressed their grief at Juárez’s death. (Efe)
Mexico wants to exclude cultural industries from NAFTA renegotiation
The cinematographic and artistic Mexican community demanded the government to exclude the cultural industries from the renegotiation of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
This decision was already adopted by Canada in the first round of the treaty, held in Washington at the beginning of this month.
Famous Mexican creators joined the proposal made by the Alliance of Cinema, Televisiom and Radio Artists of Canada, who say the cultural exemption must be maintained and strengthened. The document was signed by over 470 artists.
The demand, presented to the secretaries of Culture, Economy and Foreign Relations, requires that in the discussion the obligations assumed by Mexico in diverse forums, like those of protection and promotion of cultural expressions of the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (Unesco).
Mexican actress Dolores Heredia, when reading the notification, invited to withdraw from the negotiation table of NAFTA all the aspects related to the cultural, cinematographic and audiovisual of Mexico.
She also urged to distinguish between the two systems relating to Author Copyrights, like the humanist contrary to the Anglosaxon conception of seeing the work as simple merchandise.
She also asked that a designated Commission of Authors and Interpreters be present as permanent adviser of the Mexican negotiating group to safeguard the concerned cultural interests.
Cuban singer-songwriter Concha Valdes Miranda dies
The renowned Cuban composer and interpreter, Concha Valdes Miranda, died at Mercy Hospital in Miami this morning after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 89.
She was considered the most daring composer of the contemporary bolero. Her most successful song was The One Who Loved You the Most” in Dyango’s voice which was nominated for a Grammy and took first place in the United States. In addition, she is the author of numerous songs that were popular in the voices of performers such as Toña la Negra, Celia Cruz, Lucía Méndez, Blanca Rosa Gil, Olga Guillot, Imelda Miller, Sandro, Tito Rodríguez, Felipe Pirela, Los Panchos, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Santos Colón, Alberto Vázquez, María Marta Serra Lima, Sophy, Floria Márquez, Elena Burke, Ismael Miranda, Tito Nieves, Tito Puente, John Secada, Sergio Vargas, José Alberto “El Canario”, Johnny Ventura, Cheo Feliciano, Lucho Gatica, Moncho and Dyango among others.
Many of her compositions have been used as subjects in Spain and Mexico’s cinema. She was also exalted to the Hall of Fame of Latin Composers, presided by musicians and producers Rudy Pérez and Desmond Child in 2013. During the gala, many performers honored the artistic career of Concha Valdés Miranda, singing some of her most successful songs.
