Songs in Mourning: Cuban Music Legend Pablo Milanés Dies

Cuban troubadour Pablo Milanés, one of the main references of singer-songwriter in Latin America and Spain, died Tuesday at the age of 77, after several days of convalescence in Spain, official media reported.

"Cuban singer-songwriter Pablo Milanés died on Monday at the age of 77 in Madrid (...) On November 13, Pablo Milanés was hospitalized in Madrid, where he had been living since 2017 and was receiving medical treatment for the oncohematological disease he had been suffering from for some years, which was aggravated in recent months," published the official portal Cubadebate.

"With great pain and sadness, we regret to inform that maestro Pablo Milanés passed away this early morning of November 22 in Madrid," the musician's Artistic Office posted on social networks.

"We deeply appreciate all the signs of affection and support, to all his family and friends, in these difficult moments. May he rest in the love and peace that he has always transmitted. He will remain eternally in our memory", adds the message from his representatives.

Milanés recorded more than 40 albums and bequeathed some anthems of the Spanish song, such as the songs Yolanda, El breve espacio en que no estás and Para vivir. 

Cuban President Mourns the passing of Pablo Milanes

"Pablo has died, we read upon waking up this Tuesday in Russia and the pain comes with the news. One of our greatest musicians has physically disappeared. Inseparable voice of the soundtrack of our generation. My condolences to his widow and children, to Cuba"

Culture mourns the death of Pablo Milanés, says Cuban prime minister

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero extended his condolences to the family and friends of Cuban singer-songwriter Pablo Milanés, who died Monday in Spain at the age of 79, where he had lived since 2017.

"Culture in Cuba is mourning the passing of Pablo Milanés, renowned Cuban singer-songwriter, one of the founders of the Nueva Trova Movement. Reach his family and friends our heartfelt condolences," the head of government on the island expressed through his Twitter account.

Former Cuban Minister of Culture Abel Prieto: 

"Pablo Milanés died. Cuban culture suffers a terrible, very painful wound. Casa de las Americas, through Twitter, recalled a phrase of Roberto Fernández Retamar about Pablo's very special relationship with our institution and with Haydee Santamaría. The Casa also said how we want to remember him and how we will always remember him. Despite the fact that in recent days an absurd controversy exploded around his political opinions, Pablo and his work belong to us definitively. They are ours. They belong to Cuba. And they belong to the Cuban Revolution. They could never be digested by Trump and the Trumpists nor by the fascist nucleus of Miami nor by annexationists like those who went to the summit of neo-Nazis in Mexico to ask again for the Yankee intervention in Cuba and then to organize a show in front of our embassy in that sister country. Pablo and his work will never be of that type of people who worship Money as the only God, full of hatred, racism, infamy and stupid arrogance. Paul and his work belong to us. And they also belong, of course, to all those beautiful people in our America and in the world who were enlightened by the miracle of his poetry and his music."