Gorki Águila, Cuban punk rock musician born in Havana in 1968, is known in Cuba and around the world because his music directly confronts the Cuban regime. The lead singer and founder, in 1998, of the band Porno Para Ricardo, has been banned from public performances and from the island’s public airwaves; forcing the band into an underground music movement, to be able to distribute their own records.

Gorki’s bold and critical music lyrics illustrate in a very particular manner Cuba’s reality, and have led to his repeated arrests. In 2003, he was sentenced to serve four years in a Cuban prison. In August 2008, while recoding the band’s next album in his own home, he was arrested by the Cuban state police and charged with “peligrosidad social” (social dangerousness). Cuba’s Penal Code allows for the detention of citizens who have not yet committed a crime, but who are considered by the Cuban government as likely to commit crimes. While Gorki was incarcerated, the remaining band members and other close friends were beaten by Cuban state security for advocating for his release. Thanks to a tremendous outpouring of both local and international support for his release, as well as worldwide media coverage, Gorki was able to avoid another four year prison sentence, with a lessened charge of “civil disobedience.” This established a new precedent, for it was the first time ever the Cuban regime was forced to succumb to international pressures, regarding a case where the plaintiff was sentenced.

Gorki is temporarily residing in Mexico while visiting his family; he plans to return to his home in Havana prior to the time frame of 11 months established by the Cuban regime in order to maintain your personal belongings and legal status. However, since his departure from the island in April, the Cuban regime have publicly stated that the band has been dissolved, which is not at all the case, considering the band just released its 5th album titled, “Disco Rojo Deste?ido,” Spanish for the “Faded Red Album”. Musically, all 18 songs demonstrate the maturity of the band’s work and its members, Ciro Diaz (lead guitarist), Herbert Domínguez (bass) and Renay Kayrus (percussion), together with Gorki (rhythmic guitar and vocals).

The purpose of Gorki’s visit to the United States is to carry out a “Freedom Tour” to promote the launch of the band’s fifth album “Disco Rojo Desteñido” (“Faded Red Album”) and Porno Para Ricardo’s work in general, which is a chronicle of the reality not broadcast in Cuba. This is the first time Gorki Águila visits the United States, where he has planed stops in Miami, New York City and Washington, DC.

For more information on the band and to buy the new album, please log on to:
www.pornopararicardo.org y www.pornopararicardo.com.

The Freedom Tour is being sponsored by the Global Cuba Solidarity Movement (GCSM), which is comprised of organizations and individuals throughout the world that support freedom and liberty for the Cuban people through a democratic transition. GCSM aims at increasing international awareness and support for Cuba's growing pro-democracy movement. Through these efforts, Cubans on the island who are struggling for freedom know that the world cares and believes in their cause.