Porno Para Ricardo’s Gorki Águila Carrasco Persecuted By Cuban Government

3 September 2008, 9:45 AM. By Guanabee Staff

Thirty-nine year-old Gorki Águila leads a Cuban band called Porno Para Ricardo and they fucking rock–(as witnessed by the video for “El Cake” after the jump.) Also their music is a wee bit political. Like the video for “El Comandante” in which Fidel Castro is treated to a dildo and sickle (a screen grab is pictured.) So, the Cuban government recently arrested Águila for “inciting dangerous social behavior.” This time it was for his album entitled, “Geriatric Central Committee,” an apparent reference to the aging Castro regime. After spending four days in a dungeon, Águila tells Spanish newspaper, El Pais that he lives in a post-traumatic state.

We don’t really blame him. The Cuban government does seem to really hate the guy. He was also arrested in 2003 for drug trafficking and possession during the Cuban war on drugs termed Plaza Cordaza, an effort Águila calls “a witch hunt.” He served four years that time for a case human rights activist Elizardo Sánchez terms “confusing” and “with no evidence.” Águila was released from this most recent arrest on bail paid by his pro-Castro father (the bail was 600 pesos and Aguilar makes 320 a month working at a screen printer.) But he also owes a great debt to the stink raised by the hundreds of fans, journalists and diplomatic supporters who showed up at his Havana trial on Friday. Thanks to them, the charges were dropped to disobedience and his father was able to pay the fine. Now Porno Para Ricardo are a household name in Cuba and we, for one, are new fans as well. Águila has no plans to quit recording, stating that fear is the greatest weapon a dictatorship has. Below are videos for “El Cake” and a documentary entitled, ¡Cuba RebelióN! on underground Cuban musicians which features an interview with Águila from 2007.