| Gorki Águila | |
| Birth Date: | 11 November 1968 |
| Birth Place: | Havana |
| Occupation: | Musician |
Gorki Águila (born November 11, 1968) is a Cuban rock musician and leads the punk rock band Porno para Ricardo. He is known for his opposition to Communism and to Cuba's Castro administration.
Águila lives with his father in a small apartment in Marianao, where he also has been recording his songs with the band since they were forbidden to have concerts. His mother and sister live in Mexico. Águila has an 11-year-old daughter, Gabriela.[1]
Porno para Ricardo was initially featured on television, but as his lyrics became bolder, he was banned from performing in public, so the songs were put on the internet with the help of a friend from abroad.[2]
In 2003, Águila was jailed on drug charges after a policewoman posed as a fan and asked him for amphetamines, after which he gave her two pills. He argues this was entrapment and an attempt to silence him. After serving 4 and a half years in Cuba's 5½ Kilo Prison, Aguila became an even more outspoken critic of the Cuban government, his lyrics growing more political. In an interview with CNN in 2007, Aguila said that "Communism is a failure. A total failure. Please. Leftists of the world -- improve your capitalism."[2]
In August 2008, Águila was arrested by the Cuban police with the charge of "dangerousness", which allows them to detain people whom they think they are likely to commit crimes. The charge carries a penalty of one up to four years in prison. Signs of a "dangerousness state" are habitual drunkness and anti-social behaviour.[3] He was eventually ordered to pay a $30 fine for the lesser offence of public disorder, after prosecutors dropped the more serious charge.[4]
He has stated in an interview in 2008: "Capitalism is very problematic, as are Communism and socialism. . . . [F]or me, defending my anti-Castro ideas doesn’t mean an implicit defence of capitalism."[5]